A 23-year-old man, who had been admitted to a private hospital in Ernakulam, has contracted the Nipah virus. KK Shailaja, the Kerala Health Minister, also informed a total of 4 people who were in close contact with the patient have contracted fever. Out of this, two are nurses, and the other two are students who had been with the patient during an internship in Thrissur district.
Two nurses in the private hospital, who had attended to the patient have complained of throat discomfort and fever and are being provided treatment. One of the friends has been shifted to the isolation ward in Government Medical College, Kalammassery. Fever samples from this person will be sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune, and NIV Alleppey on Tuesday.
Stating that there is no need to panic, KK Shailaja said, “Two nurses who had assisted him first, have mild fever and throat infection and they are being given special care. We are ensuring that they are given the necessary treatment."
The 23-year-old student hailing from Ernakulam is a student of a college in Idukki. He had visited a company in Thrissur with 22 other students and stayed there for two days for an internship. He had also visited a private hospital in Ernakulam before being admitted to another hospital. A total of 86 people who had been in contact with him have been put under observation.
“We always take 3 samples - blood sample, urine sample and throat swab. These 3 samples are sent to 3 places. NIV Alappuzha, Manipal Laboratory and NIV Pune. It goes to three places at the same time. If any patient has any serious symptoms such as neck rigidity, sensorial disturbance - signs and symptoms that the central nervous system has been affected, these could be cases of encephalitis too. Then we take the cerebro spinal fluid sample. The sample is sent to two places - Manipal and Pune. Based on NIV Pune’s report, we keep all protocols in place and take other measures,” Health Secretary Rajan Khobragade said.
The virus was confirmed after samples of the patient were tested in 3 places. The National Institute of Virology in Pune confirmed that it was Nipah this morning.
"The family members of the patient will be under intense surveillance," the Health Secretary added.
The virus spreads through the saliva of bats etc. is what research has found until now. In Bangladesh too, the virus outbreak happened after people consumed date palm sap eaten by bats carrying the virus.
In places where there are a lot of bats, one has to be extra careful to not eat fruits.
Note: Nipah control room numbers are 1077 and 1056. Call at any time for any matter related to the virus.