KOZHIKODE: A day after two patients were reported as recovering from Nipah infection, another patient, who was under observation at Kozhikode Medical College for similar symptoms, died on Saturday. The deceased is Roja, 39, a native of Thalassery. However, authorities have not attributed the death to Nipah.
Officers said Roja was not infected by Nipah but displayed similar symptoms. Health Minister K K Shylaja said Roja was initially admitted to the Pariyaram Medical College in Kannur. “The doctors there sent her body fluid samples to the Manipal Centre for Virus Research and the results came out negative. We are yet to identify her cause of death,” she said.
Shylaja told reporters the infection rate was under control but people needed to be careful. “We are strictly maintaining our contact list. They are being properly monitored. The second wave of the disease is also under control,” she said. Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Rajeev Sadanandan said the ‘monoclonal antibody’ remedy from Australia reached Kochi on Saturday and was being brought to Kozhikode.
“However, the antibody will not be used as there aren’t any Nipah positive patients at present. Two patients under treatment are now known to have been devoid of the infection. So, there is no need to administer the antibody to them,” he said.
The antibody is being brought to Kozhikode under the condition it will be unpacked and administered to patients only under the presence and monitoring of designated officers from Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). “A team of ICMR officers will come on Monday,” Sadanandan said.
As on Saturday, the Nipah death toll was 16. Officials are tracking a contact list of 2,004 people which is likely to go higher. Also, 29 patients are under observation in Medical College of which 13 were admitted on Saturday. Meanwhile, eight more test results were availed on Saturday and all were negative, said Director of Health Services Dr R L Saritha. With this, the department has received test results of 201 samples.