KOZHIKODE: The dark clouds of Nipah virus outbreak over Kozhikode may be clearing slowly. No deaths or new cases have been reported for nearly a week. But for those at the forefront of the battle against Nipah, it was an experience which they would not forget in their life. Their unflinching grit and steely resolve, commitment towards work and, above all, compassion towards fellow human beings, helped them snatch many people from the jaws of death.
“The last two weeks of life will be an experience I will carry throughout my life,” said Ruby Sajna, a nurse at the Government Medical College Hospital. A person who has attended to all the patients admitted to the ICU, her Facebook post expressing happiness at the recovery of a patient has gone viral. “We didn’t know anything about the disease. It was explained to be a viral infection. But nothing more was known,” she said. “When I first met Lini she was normal. She was conscious and was able to speak. All of a sudden, her condition became worse. I do not know what I really felt when she died. The feeling I had is inexplicable.”
Lini was just one case, she said. “It was equally distressing when Janaki and Ashokan died. It scares you when people you treat die. We felt the same. We were broken when a nursing student was admitted to the ICU. The child was brought in a critical condition. We treated her covering our body in personal protective equipment, wearing an N95 mask on the face. It was a dreadful experience. But now we are happy. She has recovered. It is a joyous moment,” she said.
Team work pays off
Dr T P Rajagopal is the Head of the Institute of Chest Diseases at the Medical College Hospital. After treating two patients who recovered after being infected by the deadly Nipah virus, Rajagopal said the success of battling the disease cannot be attributed to any single person.“It was a group effort. We had fought the disease unitedly as all the employees — right from the cleaning staff to officers — have done their duty responsibly and wholeheartedly,” he said.
He told Express that the hardest thing about Nipah was that there were not many studies about the virus.
“The ignorance about the disease was a major crisis. The second issue was the high mortality rate. The condition of the patients was getting worse rapidly. We were helpless as they died before we could do anything. It was really difficult to cope with this reality,” he added. Rajagopal said the recovery of two patients was the most heartening moment while fighting the deadly disease.“We were extremely happy when those two patients showed positive results,” he said.
Risking one’s life
Another man who played a crucial role in battling the disease risking his own life is Dr R S Gopakumar, who is the health officer attached to Kozhikode City Corporation. Gopakumar was entrusted with the responsibility of burying/cremating the bodies of the patients who succumbed to Nipah virus. “I used to get frantic calls from my wife every day. My family was really tense. They were worried about my health. But I told them that I was doing my duty,” he said. He had monitored the cremation of about 12 patients and have been the pallbearer to conduct the final rites of some of those who have lost their lives.
“All those bodies were either cremated or buried as per the guidelines. The bodies were buried after digging a pit which was 10 feet deep. Five kilos of bleaching powder was spread inside the pit. The body was packed in an airtight plastic bag and then lowered into the pit,” he said. Gopakumar said it had saddened him in many of the cases where the dear ones of the deceased could not perform the last rites.“I didn’t think twice. I performed the last rites of the deceased in such cases,” he said.
Fake news triggers panic in Alappuzha
Alappuzha: Panic gripped the patients and public visiting the Alappuzha Medical College on Thursday following the circulation of fake news about the detection of Nipah virus in a patient admitted to the hospital. The news had been circulating on social media since the morning. A few media portals also published it, adding to the confusion and fear among the people. However, Health Director R L Saritha made an official announcement terming the new fake and assured people there was no reason to panic. “The patient had visited Kozhikode last month which triggered the false messages and news. Contrary to what is being reported, the patient did not come into contact with any Nipah victim of the virus,” Saritha’s statement said.
Hospital faces flak for firing three nurses
Kozhikode: At a time when all those working in the health sector are hailed for their selfless service in treating Nipah patients in Kozhikode, a leading private hospital is alleged to have dismissed three nurses without serving prior notice. According to United Nurses Association (UNA), the hospital administration terminated them to cut costs. “These nurses have treated Nipah patients. The administration must have considered this,” said UNA state treasurer Bibin N Paul.
But the hospital administration said, “The three nurses were trainees. They have been asked to leave as we have found that their performance was not up to the mark. They are well aware of this. We haven’t done anything wrong.”
No new deaths or positive cases reported
Kozhikode: No deaths or positive cases were reported due to Nipah infection, health officials said on Thursday. The results of 25 samples that arrived on Wednesday were negative. With this, the total number of test results received has gone up to 296 of which 278 were negative. Five patients were admitted at Medical College Hospital on Thursday. With this, the number of patients under observation in the hospital has come down to nine.