Nipah infection confirmed in 14-year-old boy in Kerala: Health Minister

Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Saturday confirmed Nipah virus in a 14yearold boy from Malappuram district reported news agency PTIGeorge who met the media said the Pune NIV National Institute of Virology had confirmed the infection in the boy who is currently under treatment at a private hospitalHe will be shifted to the government medical college at Kozhikode The contact tracing has begun Highrisk contacts have already been isolated and their samples have been sent for testing George said reported PTIThe child is under treatment and is on a ventilator George addedThe minister said the epicentre was Pandikkad in the district and that precautionary measures have already been initiatedShe asked the people in the locality of the epicentre and the nearby hospitals to wear masks in public spaces and avoid visiting patients in hospitals reported PTIThe minister said the monoclonal antibody which was procured last time from Australia and stored at Pune NIV will reach the state on Sunday reported PTIThe Health department has also set up 30 isolation rooms and a sixbed ICU at the Manjeri medical college and have isolated all those who have come into contact with the infected boy reported PTIA threekm radius from the epicentre at Pandikkad will be strictly observed and restrictions will be imposed she said reported PTIThe Health department said the child had sought treatment at a private clinic on July 12 He was admitted to the same private hospital on July 15 but was later shifted to the private hospital at Perinthalmanna From there he was shifted to the private hospital at KozhikodeA 24hour control room with a call centre has been opened at Malappuram the minister who is camping at the district coordinating the preventive measures said reported PTIThe Health department was on Friday informed about suspected Nipah virus from the private hospital at KozhikodeThe department sprung into action and tested the samples at the laboratories in Kerala and also sent them to the virology institute at PuneEarlier in the day George had said that the tests from the states lab had returned positive but the confirmation could be given only from the Pune NIV labHowever even before the test result from Pune NIV was received the state government had initiated precautionary measures as per the Nipah protocols including isolating the close contacts tracing the route map among othersContact tracing had started on Saturday morning itself even before the confirmation from the NIV As of now in the initial contact list there are 214 people out of which 60 are highrisk contacts The route map will be released soon she added reported PTIThe minister also informed that the Pune NIV will be providing a mobile lab similar to the one which was given during the previous incident of the infectionMeanwhile Wayanad District Medical Officer P Dinish has asked the people in the district to remain cautious as Nipah was confirmed in the neighbouring Malappuram districtAll health centres have been directed to further strengthen epidemic surveillance activities in the district the DMO said reported PTIThe medical officer in a statement said the main symptoms of Nipah virus are fever along with severe headache fatigue vomiting weakness fainting and blurred vision and asked the people to approach a medical centre immediately in case of any of the symptoms and seek treatmentThe disease is spread through body fluids Masks should be used to prevent the transmission of secretion particles through coughing and sneezing Avoid touching many places with your hands as much as possible and wash your hands frequently with soap and sanitiser Visits to the sick and travel to areas prone to epidemics should be avoided the release said reported PTIThe health department also warned people not to eat fruits which are halfeaten or bitten by birds or animalsEat fruits only after washing them properly Do not consume beverages such as toddy which are stored in open containers it said reported PTIThe state government had announced recently that a special action calendar was being prepared for the prevention of a Nipah outbreak which has haunted the state on four occasions in the pastNipah outbreaks have been reported in Kozhikode district in 2018 2021 and 2023 and in Ernakulam district in 2019 and the presence of Nipah virus antibodies had been detected in bats in Kozhikode Wayanad Idukki Malappuram and Ernakulam districtsWith inputs from PTI