Kozhikode: Health minister Veena George here on Friday stated that the number of people in the contact list of Nipah-infected people touched 1080. Out of them, 122 are in the high-risk category.

A total of 29 people in other districts are in the contact list of Nipah-infected people.Among them, 22 are from Malappuram, 1 from Wayanad and 3 each from Kannur and Thrissur.

Malappuram District Medical Officer Dr R Renuka said that people from the Kondotty, Omannooor, Edavanna and Neduva health blocks were named on the list.  

The health officials have contacted them and asked the regional health officials to monitor their health conditions.

"The 22 people have been asked to remain in house quarantine and avoid contact with family members or public. If any kind of health issues, they have to immediately contact the health officials,” she said.

Man died on Aug 30 tests positive
The minister announced that the man who died in Maruthonkara on August 30 tested positive for Nipah virus on Friday. This case has been considered as the index case of Nipah in the district. With this, the number of Nipah cases reported in the state touched six. 

Addressing the media here, the minister stated throat swab collected in the hospital where the deceased was admitted was sent for the test. The result has confirmed that he died of Nipah, she said.

30 health workers test negative
In a big relief, the minister confirmed that 30 health workers in the private hospital which is considered as the spot for the super spread of the virus tested negative for Nipah.

Among the patients, four people are undergoing treatment and 17 with suspected symptoms are put in isolation.

At the same time, the health department has released the route map of the Cheruvannur native who tested positive for Nipah on Friday. The minister stated that he is one of the people listed as the primary contact of the index case. She also urged the people who visited the places mentioned in the route map to contact Nipah control room. Cheruvannur in Feroke has been declared as a containment zone after the health department identified the fresh case.

This is the fourth time the viral infection has been confirmed in the state. It was detected in Kozhikode in 2018 and 2021 and in Ernakulam in 2019.