KOZHIKODE: Perambra, the epicentre of Nipah virus outbreak, is almost free of the infection, according to renowned virologist Dr G Arunkumar of Manipal University. If no new cases are reported from the taluk over the next three days, then the virus spread at Ground Zero can be considered as fully contained, he added.
The virologist, who played a key role in identifying the Nipah virus, however cautioned that chances of new cases being reported from hospitals in Balussery and Mukkom in the district were likely.“The first case was reported from Perambra on May 4 and 25 days have passed since then. We are not expecting any new cases from there as the incubation period of the virus in suspected cases in Perambra is coming to an end,” he told reporters at the Press Club here on Saturday.
Arunkumar said there are chances that new cases would be reported from Taluk Hospital in Balussery and NC Hosptial in Mukkom. He added that first case from Balussery was reported 12 days ago. However, if no new cases are reported after 42 days of detecting the last case, then it can be said that the virus has been fully contained in the district.
Sabith, the index case, had severe cough when he was admitted to Government Taluk Hospital, Perambra on May 4.“ On that night, Sabith’s father and brother came in contact with him and so did almost all bystanders and nurse Lini, leading to casualites among them. The virus had spread only to those people. Out of this circle, no one has been affected with the virus in Perambra,” he said. The next spread had occurred at the causality and CT Scan corridor of the Radiology department of Medical College Hospital.
Out of 18 confirmed cases, 17 cases were directly in contact with the index case, said Arunkumar while explaining the route of the virus spread.
One patient from among the first 17 cases was admitted to Balussery Taluk Hospital on May 17. From him, one patient admitted due to diarrhoea was infected and he succumbed soon. There is a chance of the virus spreading to other people too in the hospital. The virologist said the health department had isolated all the Nipah virus-affected people and thus prevented the virus from spreading to more people.
“Early detection of the virus has helped the department in isolating and preventing the spread. Otherwise, each patient admitted to hospital would have become the source of a further spread,” he said. The incubation period of the virus, in people who may have contracted it from Balussery hospital, is almost over.
If no new cases are reported from the hospital over the next two or three days, the health department can confidently say that the spread from the source has been contained. The hospital at Mukkom is also under observation and the department is expecting one or two cases from here, he added.