MALAPPURAM: The test results of samples taken from 13 individuals on the contact list of Nipah victim from Pandikkad, Kerala, will be released on Monday evening. Nine of these samples are being tested at the Virology Lab at Kozhikode Medical College, while four are being analyzed at the Advanced Virology Institute in Thonnakkal.
The results are crucial for Nipah prevention efforts in Kerala, as the 13 individuals include two from Palakkad and four from Thiruvananthapuram. The two individuals from Palakkad are employees of a private hospital where the boy received treatment, while those from Thiruvananthapuram visited the hospital in Perinthalmanna on the same day the boy was treated.
Six of these 13 individuals are exhibiting symptoms of the disease. Additionally, the parents of the student who died from Nipah are among those whose samples were sent for testing.
At present, the contact list includes as many as 350 people, with 101 of them categorized as high-risk. Among the 350 people, 68 are healthcare workers. The private bus used by the student to travel to his tuition center after contracting the disease has been identified. The people in the bus who came in contact with the boy are being determined with the help of CCTV footage.
Health Minister Veena George said, "The friends of the child have confirmed the Nipah-infected child ate hog plum from a tree in the area. Also, the presence of bats in the area has been confirmed. Preliminary assessments suggest this might be the source of the virus, but further tests are needed for confirmation." A team led by Dr. Balasubramaniam from the National Institute of Virology (NIV) will arrive today in Malappuram to monitor the bats.
The health minister said, "The state has identified that the Nipah strain found in bats is the same as the strain found in humans. Efforts to detect the virus in fruits are ongoing with the cooperation of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)."
Face masks compulsory in Malappuram
Wearing face masks in public places in the district has been made mandatory. "Although stringent restrictions have only been declared in two panchayats, each individual has a responsibility to prevent the disease from spreading," the Minister reminded. "Those currently under observation must remain in isolation for 21 days as per protocol. The strict observation period starts from the last contact with the patient," the minister said.
To identify fever cases in Pandikkad and Anakkayam panchayats, 224 fever surveillance teams have been deployed. These teams are conducting door-to-door inspections. In Anakkayam, 80 teams are in the field, and in Pandikkad, 144 teams are working. The animal husbandry department’s surveillance team is also conducting field inspections to monitor diseases in domestic animals. They are collecting samples from animals as well. Counseling will be provided to the classmates of the deceased child to offer mental support. The education department has been instructed to conduct online PTA meetings and counseling sessions. Plus One allotments are being conducted in the schools in the district, strictly adhering to Nipah protocols. A review meeting was held in the Malappuram district collectorate conference hall under the leadership of the Minister.
