Kochi: It seems Kerala won't see a repeat of the Nipah outbreak as was during the same time last year when the first reported case of the viral disease emerged. After the recent outbreak of the disease, four of the 11 people who showed symptoms akin to those affected by Nipah virus have been discharged from the Kalamassery Medical College Hospital in Kochi after it was confirmed that they did not suffer from the dreaded disease. Their health condition also showed considerable improvement.
It has also been confirmed that six of the seven patients under observation at the isolation ward too do not suffer from Nipah. However, the test result of the seventh person was not available yet, Kerala minister C Raveendranath said.
Meanwhile, the health condition of the youth confirmed with Nipah viral infection is also improving. Tests on his body fluid samples held at the lab of the Ernakulam medical college hospital confirms this. For more tests, the samples have been sent to a Pune lab. The youth is admitted in a private hospital in Kochi.
This is the sole case of Nipah and was reported from Ernakulam district on June 3.
As many as 327 people who had interacted with the youth are still under observation, the minister said.
Meanwhile, an expert team from the AIIMS and NIMHANS checked the arrangements made at the isolation ward of the Ernakulam medical college hospital. A team led by Dr Rima Sahay of the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, is supervising the temporary lab at the medical college.
Signs of improvement
The condition of a Ramapuram native, undergoing treatment at the Kottayam Medical College Hospital, has also improved.
A Mavelikara native admitted to the Alappuzha Medical College Hospital also does not have Nipah, it has been confirmed.
A youth admitted to the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital has rat fever. The samples of four people at the hospital, including that of the youth's, were sent for examination.
A Kollam native, the first person admitted in Thiruvananthapuram with Nipah-like symptoms, too does not have the disease, test results confirmed on Saturday.
A Kilimanoor native who died at a private hospital and another youth undergoing treatment at the same hospital too tested negative for Nipah.
Efforts to find the source
A central team has been conducting checks at Thodupuzha in Idukki district to find the source of the Nipah virus. The samples were collected from the area near the residence of the Nipah-hit youth at Paravur in Ernakulam district. Samples would also be collected from the youth's house premises.
NIV deputy director AB Sudeep said that efforts were on to collect maximum samples from Thodupuzha.
Multi-disciplinary central teams, including experts from the the NCDC, AIIMS and ICMR, have already been deployed which are supporting the state in investigations, contact tracing, sample testing and management of the infection, the PTI reported.
The Nipah virus had claimed 17 lives in the state in May last year.
