THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With Nipah virus outbreak suspected to have entered into its second phase, a high-level meeting chaired by the Chief Minister on Sunday observed there is no need to panic. The meeting which is said to have assessed the Nipah related deaths and preventive measures taken to contain the same also decided to provide free food kits to those put under house quarantine by prioritising them.
The meeting also decided to station the expert-team from the Thiruvananthapuram MCH at Kozhikode till the outbreak is fully contained. Along with the team, experts from Indian Council for Medical Research and National Institute of Epidemiology will also stay back in Kozhikode. “So far we have put around 2,000 people under observation. They were those who we suspect to have direct contact with the infected patients. The meeting has decided to direct the Kozhikode and Malappuram district collectors to prioritize them and provide them with free food kits,” said an officer with the Health Department.