Kerala’s Palakkad district has reported its second Nipah virus case after a 58-year-old man from Kumaramputhur near Mannarkkad tested positive following his death at a private hospital in Perinthalmanna.
Contact tracing was immediately started to find those who were in contact with the deceased. Forty-six people are on the contact list.
Following the development, an alert has been issued to hospitals in Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur, Wayanad, and Thrissur districts of the state.
Kerala Health Minister Veena George said that a contact list has been prepared in the case. The government is awaiting confirmation from the Pune Institute of Virology. The patient died on July 12, and his samples tested positive in a test conducted at Manjeri Medical College, the minister said.
“Contact tracing was immediately started to find those who were in contact with the deceased. Forty-six people are on the contact list. Information, including CCTV, has been collected. A route map has been prepared based on the available information. A family tree has also been prepared,” said the minister.
Field-level activities have been intensified in the area. Fever surveillance is also continuing. Further monitoring will be carried out, including the mobile tower location. The minister also directed the team to be strengthened in case another case is found.
Veena George urged people to avoid unnecessary hospital visits, especially in Palakkad and Malappuram districts. “Avoid visiting relatives and friends who are undergoing treatment in the hospital as much as possible. Only one person should accompany the patients as an assistant. Health workers, patients and their companions who come to the hospital should wear masks,” said the minister.
There are a total of 543 people in the Nipah contact list. Out of these, 46 people are in the contact list of the new case. There are 208 people in Malappuram district, 219 in Palakkad, 114 in Kozhikode and 2 in Ernakulam on the contact list.
Ten people are under treatment in Malappuram. Two of them are in ICU. So far, 62 samples have tested negative in the Malappuram district. One person in Palakkad is under treatment in isolation. A total of 36 people in the state are in the highest risk category, and 128 are under observation in the high-risk category.
Veena George also said that an alert has been issued to hospitals in six districts in the wake of the second Nipah case in Palakkad district. A special alert has been issued to hospitals in Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur, Wayanad and Thrissur districts. Instructions were given to report any case of fever or encephalitis with Nipah symptoms.