All four contacts are in the low-risk category and urged the public not to spread rumours through social media, say officials
He says there is no need for him to be present in Kozhikode as he could coordinate with senior Health officials sitting in Thiruvananthapuram as well
Infected person administered first dose of antiviral drug remdesivir; ICMR team visits urban health centre at Ramanattukara in Kozhikode
The peak Nipah virus spillover risk in the State is from April to September, when the abundance of seasonal fruit-laden trees, increased bat foraging activity, bat breeding season and viral shedding dynamics coincide, increasing the risk of human exposure. This pattern has not changed in Kerala since the very first outbreak.
Revenue Minister A.P. Anil Kumar, who is in-charge of Kozhikode, says there is no large-scale spread of the infection at present, no need to declare a containment zone, he says
The high-containment facility is expected to bolster the State’s diagnostic self-reliance and facilitate the early detection of high-consequence pathogens such as the Nipah virus
Of them, 58 are healthcare workers, 14 family members and five friends and colleagues. Persons categorised as high-risk contacts have been placed under quarantine. Health department sources say none of the contacts have reported symptoms till date
The patient at Government Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode, is stable and on ventilator support
The three localities from where the Nipah virus originated in Kozhikode district over the past five years have similar geograpahy and flora
Nipah virus has been evidenced in Kerala in the past and strictly following the guidelines issued by the health authorities is a must to curb the spread of misinformation.
Previous outbreaks and spillover cases suggest that the virus is found to have been active in the State in the the six-month period starting in April; health officials lay focus on Kozhikode, Malappuram, Palakkad, and Thrissur districts
Officials said samples have been sent to National Institute of Virology in Pune for confirmation, and results are expected shortly