Kozhikode: Kerala's most recent Nipah threat which was reported in the Kozhikode district two weeks ago is almost fully neutralised. Two people lost their lives while four others were infected and hundreds placed in isolation following the confirmation of the latest outbreak on the night of September 11.
In the latest update issued by the district administration, Kozhikode is now free of containment zones. Since the outbreak, 100 wards in 11 local bodies, including nine grama panchayats in the Vadakara Taluk were declared containment zones.
Kozhikode District Collector A Geetha said Tuesday evening that the restrictions that were applied to all 38 wards in the Feroke Municipality and seven divisions in the Kozhikode Corporation since September 15 have been lifted. The confirmation of Nipah in a Cheruvannur native on September 15 was the reason the places in Feroke and the city corporation were placed under curbs.
General restrictions to remain till Oct 26
However, the restrictions on public gatherings and crowding that were imposed in view of the Nipah outbreak will remain in Kozhikode till October 26.
According to a press release issued by the Health Department on Tuesday, the incubation period of a Nipah-infected person is 21 days. To ensure the community is completely free from the Nipah outbreak, twice the incubation period (42 days) is taken into account. That is 42 days since the test result of the last infected person turned positive.
The Health Department has confirmed that every person on the contact lists of Nipah patients has tested negative, including five, whose results arrived on Tuesday. Besides, 40 persons were removed from isolation on the day. There are 875 more in isolation.
For public events, inform police stations
The district administration has urged people organising public events to seek permission from the police stations concerned till October 1.
The use of face masks and hand sanitisers should continue until further notice. Social distancing must also be maintained in public, informed the district administration.
