Nipah virus: Alert continues in 6 Kerala districts

People on the contact list of Nipah-infected patients from Kozhikode district of Kerala have been told to isolate themselves for at least 21 days even as 71 more body fluid samples sent for lab tests have tested negative for the virus.

Health Minister Veena George said this after a meeting of district medical officers from Kozhikode, Malappuram, Kannur, Wayanad, Thrissur and Palakkad districts on Monday.

As many as 45 people are under quarantine in districts other than Kozhikode after they were found to have had contact with infected persons. Isolation ward and special ambulances have been kept ready in these places. The situation is reported to be under control now.

Ms. George said that the general alert against the infection would have to continue for some days even though there had been no new cases after Sept. 15.

Of the six infected people, two have died and others are under medical treatment now.

The Minister said that the condition of one of them, a nine-year-old child, was improving while the others were clinically stable.

Meanwhile, the Central team of officials held discussions with the Minister based on their visits to affected areas, and interactions with the local residents and relatives of the infected people.

They said samples from fruit-eating bats for lab tests had been collected from Maruthonkara, the native place of the first patient, and surrounding areas.