Last year, when the Nipah virus outbreak was reported for the first time in Kerala's Kozhikode district, the news sparked panic among residents in the area. However, the latest reports of a 23-year-old Ernakulam resident being treated for Nipah has not brought life to a standstill for the locals now. Though a sense of fear surrounding the disease remains, especially among people living near the 23-year-old's house in North Paravur municipality and those near Kalamassery Medical College, the district is carrying on its normal routine as usual.
Eight suspected Nipah cases have been admitted to the isolation ward in Kalamassery Medical College, and the families of hospital staff and those who work around the area have expressed anxiety over this development. "It is not the people who work in the hospital, but those who work around the area like auto rickshaw drivers and street side vendors who mostly expressed fear. But this has not stopped the people from carrying out their normal work," Sreejith, a local reporter and native of Kalamassery told TNM.
He also added that some organisations have also come forward to distribute masks for the street side vendors and auto drivers around the medical college.
On Thursday, the state Health Minister KK Shailaja told media that another person was also admitted to hospital with the suspicion of Nipah, bringing the total isolated cases to eight. The state government confirmed on Thursday morning that six of them were reported to be negative for Nipah.
When Nipah outbreak was reported in Kerala last year, it was found that disease outbreak happened through fruit-eating bats. "The region where the Nipah confirmed person's house is situated, is full of mango trees that have been a habitat bats. There is even a tree in the area which is called by locales as 'bat tree' because of that many numbers of bats in it," Binduraj, a native of Chendamangalam in North Paravur, told TNM.
Meanwhile, the people who reside in the 23-year-old's hometown, which comes under the limit of North Paravur municipality, are continuing with their lives as always. "The streets in North Paravur are busy as usual. Though people are scared of the disease, they believe that since those who came in contact with the student have been kept under observation, the disease can be contained being spread much," says Catherine Shifna, resident of Gothuruth in North Paravur.
Dileep, another local reporter from North Paravur, also expressed that people in the area are quite calm. "As of now, there is no panic situation, people come out to streets and live like how it was before. But we can't predict how things will go in the coming days," Dileep said.
The local body and authorities have played a key role in preventing panic from spreading among people.
"As of now, people are not scared as the media have been responsible and not mentioned the name of the hospital where the student is being treated. But from our part we have started a campaign stressing on how one can contract Nipah," a Gram Panchayat member of the area said.
Though a section of residents in Paravur municipality noted that they would prefer if the school reopening date was postponed, District Collector K Mohammed Y Safirulla on Wednesday said that there is no need for that. "Situation is under control as of now, so schools will be reopened on June 6th itself," said the Collector.
Meanwhile, Dr Gopa Kumar, one of the experts who handled Nipah during its outbreak last year, told TNM that there was no need for people to panic. "Last year we found it was Nipah after death was reported. So people had this scare, but this time situation is different. We could find out it when the patient started expressing its symptoms," said Dr Gopa Kumar.
He also explained that there is even no need for people in the area to wear a mask. "Only people who directly take care of the patient and who would have to spent time with the patients need to take such precautions," he added.