Nipah: Another infection found in Kerala, ban on worship and public places in Kozhikode; 950 people will be investigated

Cases of Nipah virus are continuously being seen in Kerala, after which the administration has come on alert. Health Minister Veena George on Friday said a 39-year-old man has tested positive for the Nipah virus, which was spread through direct contact with an infected person.

The number of active cases across the state has increased to four, following which the state government has decided to test all those who are in the contact list of infected persons. Health Minister George said that the Nipah virus was confirmed after the sample of the infected person tested positive, taking the total number of infected people in the state to six, out of which two have already died.

According to the news agency PTI, the minister's office today said that the infected person wants to be treated in a private hospital, where earlier Nipah-infected persons were treated for other diseases. A high-level meeting was held at Kozhikode Collectorate today to take stock of the situation. Apart from George, ministers PA Mohammed Riyas, Ahmed Devarkovil, and AK Saseendran attended the meeting.

Briefing the media after the meeting, Health Minister George said that the health of the affected people, including the nine-year-old boy on ventilator support, is currently stable. He said, “It seems that the infection in this person occurred due to contact with another infected patient, who died on August 30.

George told the media, "We have decided to test all those who are high-risk contacts, even if they have no symptoms. We have two additional facilities in Kozhikode. We have the Rajiv Gandhi Center for Biotechnology (RGCB) is a mobile lab. The two machines kept here can simultaneously test 96 samples at a time."

However, as per the protocol, samples of only those people in whom symptoms are observed can be tested. "But here we have decided to test samples of all those who are in contact with the high-risk category. We have a mobile lab from the RGCB and a lab at the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital," the minister said.

A five-member central team of experts from the National Center for Disease Control, RML Hospital, and NIMHANS has been deployed to Kerala to take stock of the situation and assist the state government in managing the Nipah infection.

Erla announced new restrictions on Friday to prevent the spread of the deadly Nipah virus outbreak. Two infected people have died since August 30 in the state's Kozhikode district, where authorities have declared containment zones in 9 panchayats.

New restrictions have been imposed in Kozhikode district, with directions issued against any kind of gatherings or public events, including all places of worship. According to news agency PTI, as per the restrictions, shops selling essential commodities and medical shops can operate from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. in these areas. All places of worship in the areas will also remain closed.

This is the fourth time that viral infection has been confirmed in the state. It was found in Kozhikode in 2018 and 2021, and in Ernakulam in 2019. Apart from Thursday and Friday, the district administration has also declared a holiday for educational institutions in Kozhikode on Saturday.

Studies by the World Health Organization and ICMR have shown that not just Kozhikode, but the entire state is suffering from such infections. People who have had contact with infected persons are also being tested.

The list includes 950 people, of whom 213 are in the high-risk category. A total of 287 health workers are also on the contact list. The state health department said four people in high-risk categories are in a private hospital and 17 people are under observation at the Kozhikode Medical College.