KOZHIKODE: Nipah scare is receding in the state as more samples of suspects have turned negative. On Monday, samples of 17 people who were identified to have come into contact with the Nipah victim tested negative. However, health authorities are continuing vigil in the Nipah-affected Chathamagalam region to prevent any possible spread of the virus and the ongoing restrictions imposed in the region for a few more days.
Meanwhile, efforts to trace the origin of the virus are continuing. Department of Animal Husbandry will continue the process of collecting samples of domestic and wild animals as the test results of samples collected in the first round have turned negative.
Of the 17 samples tested on Monday, five were tested at National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, while the remaining 12 samples were tested at a specially set up laboratory at Kozhikode Medical College Hospital.
So far, 140 samples of persons in the list of Nipah suspects have tested negative for the virus. Of the total samples tested, 25 were tested in NIV, Pune, while 115 were tested at a specially set up lab at Kozhikode Medical College. The health authorities are awaiting results of five more samples from NIV, Pune.
140 SAMPLES TEST -VE
So far, 140 samples of persons in the list of Nipah suspects have tested negative for the virus. The health authorities are awaiting results of five more samples from NIV, Pune.