MALAPPURAM: A total of 26 individuals from the contact list of the Nipah victim in Thiruvali, Malappuram, were identified by the health department on Tuesday as being at the highest risk for the infection.
These 26 individuals were identified from a list of 104 people in the high-risk category. Health Minister Veena George said that appropriate treatment and medication are being provided to them.
Veena added that the health department is working to determine if anyone has contracted the virus from the deceased. A 24-year-old succumbed to Nipah infection on September 9, and his body was buried on September 10.
"Samples from 13 individuals in the contact list tested negative for Nipah infection on Monday. Samples of all people in the contact list will be tested, with priority given to those in the high-risk category and anyone showing symptoms of the virus. Additional samples were sent for testing on Tuesday," the minister said.
The health department initially encountered challenges in tracing the primary and secondary contacts of the victim. However, with assistance from the police department, they overcame difficulties by tracking the victim's mobile tower location.
In the meantime, Kerala's health department has coordinated with their counterparts in Karnataka to trace the victim's contacts in Bengaluru, where the 24-year-old had been studying. According to the minister, his contacts in Bengaluru have also been identified.
The minister reassured the public that there is no need to panic, as the chances of the infection spreading within the district are minimal.
However, she urged residents to remain vigilant and follow the health department's guidelines. Health authorities had begun a fever survey in the Thiruvali and Mampad panchayats on September 8 and it is expected to be completed shortly.
