(MENAFN- Live Mint) Kerala health Minister Veena George held a high-level meeting on Saturday to discuss measures to prevent a Nipah outbreak in the state. The meeting came after a 14-year-old boy tested positive for the Nipah virus in Malappuram district.
“He will be shifted to the government medical college at Kozhikode. The contact tracing has begun. High-risk contacts have already been isolated and their samples have been sent for testing. The child is under treatment and is on a ventilator,” she said.
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1) According to George, Pandikkad was the epicentre of the Nipah outbreak in Malappuram district. She stated that precautionary measures have already been initiated, asking people and nearby hospitals to wear masks in public spaces and avoid visiting patients in hospitals.
2) The minister announced that the monoclonal antibody from Australia, stored at Pune NIV, will arrive in the state on Sunday. The Health Department has set up 30 isolation rooms and a six-bed ICU at Manjeri Medical College and isolated everyone who had contact with the infected boy.
3)“A three-km radius from the epicentre at Pandikkad will be strictly observed and restrictions will be imposed. A 24-hour control room with a call centre has been opened at Malappuram ," she said.
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4) The child had sought treatment at a private clinic on July 12. He was admitted to the same private hospital on July 15 but was later shifted to the private hospital at Perinthalmanna. From there he was shifted to the private hospital at Kozhikode,” the minister said as quoted by PTI.
5) On Friday, the Health Department was alerted about a suspected Nipah infection by a private hospital in Kozhikode . The department quickly acted, testing samples at Kerala laboratories and sending them to the virology institute in Pune.
6) Earlier, George reported that tests from the state's lab were positive, but confirmation awaited from Pune NIV. Even before receiving Pune's result, the state government began precautionary measures, including isolating close contacts and tracing the route map, per Nipah protocols.
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7) "Contact tracing had started on Saturday morning itself even before the confirmation from the NIV. As of now, in the initial contact list, there are 214 people out of which 60 are high-risk contacts. The route map will be released soon," George added.
8) The minister also announced that Pune NIV will provide a mobile lab, similar to the one supplied during the previous infection outbreak.
9) Wayanad District Medical Officer P. Dinish has advised residents to stay vigilant following the confirmation of Nipah in neighboring Malappuram district. "All health centers have been instructed to enhance epidemic surveillance activities in the district."
10) The state government recently announced a special action plan to prevent a Nipah outbreak, which has affected the state four times previously. Nipah outbreaks occurred in Kozhikode in 2018, 2021, and 2023, and in Ernakulam in 2019.
(With inputs from agencies)
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