Relief in Kerala as Close Contacts of Nipah Victim Test Negative; Ongoing Vigilance Required
Thiruvananthapuram, 23rd July 2024: Kerala Health Minister Veena George announced on Tuesday that the test results for the close relatives and others who had direct contact with the 14-year-old boy who died from Nipah are negative.
A total of 19 individuals, including five classified as high-risk contacts, were tested, with results expected later today, according to the state Health Department.
Following a review meeting in Malappuram, where the outbreak leading to the boy’s death was reported, Minister George expressed relief that those close to the deceased have tested negative. Despite this, she confirmed that the area’s restrictions remain in place and cannot be lifted at this time.
The minister emphasized the need for ongoing vigilance and mandated mask-wearing in public places. The Health Department has compiled a contact list of 406 people, with 194 categorized as high-risk.
The 14-year-old from Malappuram, who was undergoing treatment for Nipah, passed away on Sunday morning.
“A mobile laboratory from the Pune Virology Institute has been deployed to Kozhikode and will soon operate in Manjeri. The fever surveillance team has visited over 7,200 households in Anakkayam and Pandikkad panchayats to gather information,” the minister noted.
In Anakkayam panchayat, 95 teams, and in Pandikkad panchayat, 144 teams are actively conducting house visits and collecting data.
A team from the National Institute of Virology has also arrived to monitor bats and will be collecting samples from various locations.
The government has cautioned against spreading misinformation about the disease on social media, warning that legal action will be taken against offenders. “Instructions have been given to the district police chief to enforce relevant sections of the Public Health Act and the Cyber Act,” said the minister.
The state government is preparing a special action plan to prevent future Nipah outbreaks, which have previously occurred in Kozhikode in 2018, 2021, and 2023, and Ernakulam in 2019. Nipah virus antibodies have been detected in bats across Kozhikode, Wayanad, Idukki, Malappuram, and Ernakulam districts.
