Health Minister Veena George confirmed on Saturday that no new cases of the Nipah virus have been reported in Kozhikode. She revealed that 11 samples collected from individuals, including those considered at high risk, have tested negative for the virus. This update comes after Kerala reported six Nipah cases, including two deaths, until the previous Friday. Currently, 21 people are in isolation at Kozhikode Government Medical College, with four undergoing treatment.
“Medical boards have been established in hospitals treating Nipah patients, and according to their assessments, all patients are in stable condition. The doctors have reported an improvement in the health of the child receiving ventilator support,” stated the minister.
The health department is actively engaged in contact tracing and identifying the source of infection for the index patient, a Cheruvannur native who tested positive on Friday. The minister emphasized the significance of confirming the index patient’s Nipah infection.
“The private hospital where the deceased Maruthonkara native was admitted initially collected his throat swab for an influenza test. Subsequently, the health department sent this sample for Nipah testing. On Friday, the National Institute of Virology confirmed the Nipah infection,” explained the minister.
Furthermore, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has decided to procure an additional 20 doses of monoclonal antibody from Australia for Nipah treatment. ICMR DG Rajeev Bahl highlighted the high mortality rate among Nipah patients, ranging from 40% to 70%, compared to the 2-3% mortality rate in COVID-19.
A central team arrived in Kozhikode to assess the situation and conducted an inspection at the index patient’s house in the Maruthonkara panchayat. The Kerala Health department has identified 1,080 individuals on the contact list of Nipah-positive patients and has initiated the process of collecting samples for testing. Testing for the virus is being conducted with the assistance of ICMR’s National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune, which dispatched its mobile BSL-3 laboratory to Kozhikode for sample analysis. This marks the fourth instance of Nipah infection in the state, with previous occurrences in Kozhikode in 2018 and 2021, and in Ernakulam in 2019.
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