Karnataka's Dakshina Kannada district on high alert in view of Nipah outbreak in Kerala

District surveillance officer Dr Jagadish appealed to people to avoid eating fruits bitten by bats or any other animals and thoroughly wash all fruits before consumption
Officials of animal husbandry and forest departments collect bat droppings from Pulparambu in Kozhikode on Monday in the wake of the Nipah death (Photo | T P Sooraj/EPS)
Officials of animal husbandry and forest departments collect bat droppings from Pulparambu in Kozhikode on Monday in the wake of the Nipah death (Photo | T P Sooraj/EPS)

MANGALURU: A high alert has been sounded in Dakshina Kannada district which borders Kerala in view of the death of a 12-year-old boy due to the Nipah virus in Kozhikode.

District Health Officer Dr Kishore Kumar said they have issued an advisory to all government and private hospitals and medical colleges in the district to immediately bring it to the notice of the district administration if they find Nipah virus symptoms like high fever, severe headache, convulsion and disorientation among patients especially those from Kerala.

DK district surveillance officer Dr Jagadish told The New Indian Express that so far, they have not come across anyone with Nipah symptoms. “Even if we find Nipah symptoms in any person, we will go through his travel history. Samples of only those who have a travel history to endemic areas will be sent for testing to the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune," he said.

Right now, he said besides being vigilant, they are carrying out IEC activities in view of the Nipah outbreak in Kerala. He appealed to people to avoid eating fruits bitten by bats or any other animals and thoroughly wash all fruits before consumption.

Jagadish, however, ruled out the possibility of the virus spreading to Dakshina Kannada from Kozhikode stating that bats are not migratory birds.

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