MALAPPURAM: Health Minister Veena George on Friday said the condition of the woman from Valanchery in Malappuram, who tested positive for Nipah, remains critical. The 42-year-old is undergoing intensive treatment at the Perinthalmanna hospital.
Stressing that preventive measures should be intensified, Veena said masks have been mandatory in places where people gather.
The minister said 49 people in the woman’s contact list, 12 of them close relatives, are under observation. Five others, including the staff nurse of the Perinthalmanna hospital, are in isolation. Their samples have been sent for testing. The test results of six other people who showed symptoms were found negative.
“As many as 45 people are in the high-risk category, while four are in the low-risk category,” Veena said.
The 42-year-old had first sought treatment for high fever at a private clinic in Valanchery on April 25. As her condition deteriorated and she struggled with shortness of breath, she was shifted to the hospital in Perinthalmanna on May 1. When she exhibited symptoms consistent with Nipah, her swab sample was sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune, which confirmed the infection on Thursday. The authorities have released the woman’s route map, which was prepared based on the information collected from relatives. CCTV visuals of her journey after April 25 will be collected. Strict restrictions will be imposed between 8am and 6pm in places declared containment zones.
The source of the infection remains unknown. The samples from the cat that was found dead near the woman’s house will be sent to the lab in Bhopal after the postmortem to detect the presence of the Nipah antibody.
A fever survey is also being launched across the affected areas to monitor community health.
9 wards declared containment zones
Malappuram District Collector V R Vinod on Friday declared nine wards across four local bodies as containment zones
Valanchery municipality:
Thonikkal (division 1), Thaniyappan Kunnu (division 2), Kakkattupara (division 3), Kavumpuram (division 4)
Marakkara panchayat: Wards 9, 11 and 12
Edayur panchayat: Ward 17
Athavanad panchayat: Karipol (ward 6)
Public advised not to gather in designated zones. Commercial establishments within the zones permitted to operate only between 8am and 6pm. Educational facilities such as madrasas and anganwadis asked to remain closed until further notice. No restrictions for medical stores
In case of symptoms such as fever or fatigue, individuals are urged not to self-medicate but to consult a registered medical practitioner immediately.