Nipah Outbreak: 61 more samples test negative, says Kerala govt
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Kozhikode: Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Monday announced that no new Nipah-positive cases were reported in the state since September 16 with 61 more samples of persons who were on the high-risk contact list turning up negative.
The minister said that the four infected persons, including a nine-year-old boy, were getting better and the child has been taken off the ventilator for the time being, adding that the situation is under control presently.
Meanwhile, the Central teams were in the field and surveying all the relevant locations, the minister told reporters.
“One of the teams might go back today,” she said.
She had also said that samples from 36 bats have been taken and sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune to ascertain the presence of the virus among the mammals.
Since all the infected persons got the virus from the same person, the index case, who died on August 30, it was clear that there was no second wave and that it was welcome news, the health minister said.
It can also be proved through genomic sequencing which is being carried out. The results of the genomic sequencing will be available by evening or by Tuesday, she added.
The total number of cases of Nipah infection confirmed in the state is six, including the two deceased.
Till Sunday evening, 1,233 contacts had been traced and of them, 352 were in the high-risk category, she said.
The minister further said that as no new positive Nipah cases were being reported, the containment and quarantine measures would remain in place for 42 days from the last positive case reported.
The incubation period of the virus is 21 days and therefore, “a double incubation period of 42 days from the last positive case” is considered as the period during which caution has to be exercised, George had explained.
According to World Health Organisation (WHO) and ICMR studies, the entire state, not just Kozhikode district, is prone to such virus infections.
With inputs from PTI
