Preventive measures ramped up as Nipah patient remains critical
The Health department has ramped up preventive measures in and around Valanchery after a 42-year-old woman tested positive for Nipah virus. The woman remains critical at a private hospital in Perinthalmanna.
A sample from a cat that died near the woman's house will be sent to the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) lab in Bhopal for Nipah virus testing.
Minister for Health Veena George has directed District Collector V.R. Vinod and District Medical Officer R. Renuka to initiate action under the Disaster Management Act and Public Health Act against people who refuse to share information with health officials.
Ms. George said here on Friday that 49 people on the contact list of the Nipah affected woman were put under observation. Five of them have been isolated at Government Medical College Hospital at Manjeri, and a nurse from Ernakulam district who works at a Perinthalmanna hospital is also under isolation. However, all of them tested negative on Friday, providing relief to the State health team.
As many as 12 of those under observation are the woman's close relatives. Ms. George said that 45 people, including the 12 family members, were in high risk category.
Three of them were from the primary health centre at Valanchery, one from a doctor's clinic at Valanchery, 25 at the Perinthalmanna hospital, two from two laboratories at Valanchery and two from a medical shop at Valanchery. Four people in low risk category too are under observation, said the Minister.
The district administration has made masks mandatory in places where people gather. The Health department has released a route map of the Nipah-affected woman's movements starting from April 25, when she developed fever.
The Minister said that the Ente Keralam show being held at Kottakkunnu, Malappuram, would continue under strict guidelines. But the programmes of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Sports Minister V. Abdurahman to be held on May 12 and 10 respectively have been postponed.
The Minister reviewed the situation at a meeting of officials and people's representatives at the Collectorate here on Friday. MLAs P. Ubaidullah, Abdul Hameed, Najeeb Kanthapuram and K.P.A. Majeed attended the meeting. MLAs Abid Husain Thangal, Kurukkoli Moideen and U.A. Latheef attended it in online mode.
Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Rajan N. Khobragade, District Collector V.R. Vinod, National Health Mission State director Vinay Goyal, Health department additional director K.P. Reetha, Disaster Management Deputy Collector Swati Chandramohan, and District Medical Officer R. Renuka were among those who attended the meeting.
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