After three lives were lost to the Nipah virus (NiV) and eight people are battling the disease in Kerala’s Kozhikode district, both the state and the Central governments yesterday took comprehensive measures to contain the outbreak of the rare virus. Doctors claim it is just another viral infection and there is nothing to panic.
“All the periphery hospitals of the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital are fully equipped to tackle the fever. All those who have fever need not rush to the medical college. At the moment, eight patients are undergoing treatment. Their samples have been sent to Pune and results are awaited,” said Kerala Health Minister K K Shailaja.
The minister said all arrangements are in place, things are under control and there is no need to panic. The state government has sanctioned an emergency fund of Rs2mn to the Kozhikode Medical College to tackle the present outbreak.
The Nipah virus, spread by fruit bats that infects both animals and humans, has claimed the lives of two brothers and their aunt in Perambra, Kozhikode district within a few weeks, and now eight more people are under observation.
State health officials visited the victims’ house and sealed the unused well that had lots of bats, said Shailaja and added that people are being educated to ensure that they do not eat any fruits fallen from trees.
To strengthen Kerala government’s fight against the virus, the central government yesterday assured the state of all support and sent a multi-disciplinary central team from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to the district.
“We are closely monitoring the situation. I have also dispatched a central team to assist the state government and initiate required steps,” Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, J P Nadda, said in a statement from Geneva.
Nadda said he had a talk with Union Minister of State for Tourism, Alphons Kannathanam, and Kerala Health Minister Shailaja. Union health secretary Preeti Sudan also spoke to the Kerala principal health secretary and reviewed the situation.
In a tweet late on Sunday, Nadda said: “Reviewed the situation of deaths related to the Nipah virus in Kerala with secretary health. I have directed director NCDC to visit the district and initiate required steps as warranted by the protocol for the disease in consultation with state government.”
The central team includes Sujeet K Singh, director, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC); S K Jain, head epidemiology, NCDC; P Ravindran, director, Emergency Medical Relief (EMR); and Naveen Gupta, head zoonosis, NCDC, along with two clinicians and one expert from the ministry of animal husbandry.




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