No new Nipah case in Kerala, 42 samples test negative: Health Minister
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Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Sunday confirmed that no fresh Nipah cases have been reported in the state, with 42 samples of high-risk category testing negative.
The minister while addressing the media on Sunday said that a medical student who was put in an isolated ward with suspected symptoms has also tested negative.
The state health department is continuing efforts to trace the contacts of Nipah-infected people in Kozhikode, Veena George said, adding that police assistance would be sought to identify the mobile phone tower of the people who are suspected to have come in contact with the affected people.
The minister further said that all four Nipah patients who are under treatment are stable and the child who is on ventilator support is also showing signs of improvement.
The minister also said that the health department will collect over 100 samples for the Nipah test and each person listed in the high-risk category would be tested.
Those on the contact list and with suspected symptoms will be monitored for 42 days, the minister added.
The minister also confirmed that the inspection of the central government team, who are camping in Kozhikode, will continue and the team will visit the 2018 Nipah epicentre to analyse the outbreak.
Kerala has so far confirmed a total of six cases of Nipah infection since the latest outbreak in the Kozhikode district. Two individuals lost their lives due to the virus, bringing the number of active cases down to four.
With inputs from IANS
