Kozhikode: Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Tuesday confirmed that four people in the state contracted the Nipah virus. Of them, two are under treatment and two have succumbed to the disease.

Though the Union Health Ministry had confirmed the outbreak by evening, the state was waiting for a nod on the matter from the National Institute of Virology in Pune, where samples of the patients had been sent for testing.

According to the health minister, the patient who died on Monday night contracted the virus from the private hospital where patient zero was admitted. Though the index patient's sample was not sent for testing, the symptoms have led health officials to believe he too died from Nipah.

Of the five samples that were sent for testing, three came back positive and two negative. Besides the second Nipah victim, his nine-year-old son and brother-in-law have also contracted the disease.

However, the victim's four-year-old and the brother-in-law's 10-month-old tested negative for Nipah.

The minister further said details of those who have come in contact with the confirmed Nipah patients are being collected. It was also reported that three more cases showed symptoms of Nipah on Tuesday and are under treatment at present.

"Strict restrictions will be implemented in the two areas considered the source of the disease," said the minister.

There are 168 people on the contact list so far. There are 158 people in the contact list of the first case, of 127 are health workers. The remaining 31 are the victim's relatives and neighbours.

The second victim's contact list too has over 100 people. However, as per reports, only 10 of them have been identified so far.

Nipah control rooms have started functioning in the district. Those on the contact list will be categorized as high-risk and low-risk. CCTV footage of the hospitals the victims visited will be examined to find out who all came in contact with them.

The minister also said the police force's help will be sought.

A route map of the patients will be prepared and released soon. A survey will be conducted by the forest and wildlife department to study the habitat of bats.

Three teams from the Centre will reach the state on Wednesday. "There's no need to panic. The health department and the state government will issue clear instructions to be followed during this moment of crisis. Those included in the contact list should get in touch with the control room if they have any symptoms," said the minister.

Talking about the arrangements made by the health department to avert any crisis, the minister said an isolation ward with 75 rooms has been set up at the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital. Transportation facilities have been arranged for anyone who experiences symptoms and needs to get to the hospital.

Block-level meeting held

A block-level review meeting was held in Thuneri at the Nadapuram guest house chaired by MLA E K Vijayan.

Those in the primary contact list have been asked to take special care to avoid contact with others. Unnecessary hospital visits and gatherings should be avoided at all costs, authorities advised.

After the report from the virology institute came out, it was decided to convene panchayat-level vigilance committee meetings if necessary.