NIPAH OUTBREAK

Kerala to conduct serosurveillance study to find reason behind Nipah outbreaks in Kozhikode: CM

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday said though the Nipah outbreak has been brought under control, it is too early to say the state is completely out of danger.

Holding a press conference after seven months, Pinarayi said the health department has adopted the best possible and scientific measures to curb the virus from spreading in the state.

He said since the ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) is yet to give a response on why Kozhikode continues to be the hotspot of Nipah outbreaks in the state, the government will conduct a serosurveillance study to find out the same.

Providing further details on the Nipah scenario, the chief minister said though the chances of a second wave are slim, it does not mean the people can be lackadaisical about safety measures.

"A Nipah Action Plan was formulated and a 19-team core committee was formed to carry out Nipah-related activities in the state," said Pinarayi.

Noting that the state health system could effectively prevent the spread of the deadly virus, he said early detection of the virus averted a dangerous situation.

Though the spread of the infection is under control, even the ICMR could not provide a clear answer to why Nipah cases are being reported from northern Kozhikode, he said.

Samples of 36 bats were sent for testing, but no virus was found, and more samples would be collected in the coming days, the chief minister added.

The route map of the first infected person was taken with the help of the police, and samples of bats from these sites would be collected and sent for testing, he said.

He further asked media reporters, besides health workers, to take extra precautions while engaging in on-field work considering the high infection rate of the virus.

He also said while the active cases and those under isolation have been receiving the best possible treatment, it is estimated that the number of people on the contact list of the affected persons is likely to increase.

"Psychosocial support teams have been set up for those in the contact list who may suffer from panic and anxiety attacks due to the fear of contracting the disease. Counselling has already been provided to people who required it in the past few days," he said.

The chief minister also requested the public to refrain from sharing unverified news that could create panic among the people about the virus.