Malappuram: The health department is on high alert after a boy from Malappuram's Pandikkad tested positive for the Nipah virus. The district authority has imposed strict regulations within a three-kilometre radius from the epicentre at Pandikkad here. Anakkayam panchayat is also placed under strict curbs as the patient attends school there.

The health department has taken action to arrange ambulances for hospitalising those who came into contact with the infected child. Health minister Veena George on Saturday told media that the health officials have started tracing the boy's contacts.

High-risk contacts have already been isolated and their samples have been sent for testing, she added. The minister has mandated the public to wear face masks when leaving their homes and advised against visiting hospitalized individuals as much as possible.

214 people on contact list
The 14-year-old patient, who developed a fever on July 10, sought treatment at a private clinic two days later. On July 13, he was also to a private hospital in Pandikkad. Although he was admitted to this hospital two days later, the boy was subsequently taken to another private hospital in Perinthalmanna and then to a hospital in Kozhikode. The disease was confirmed while examining the sample collected from the Kozhikode hospital. The boy has now been shifted to the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital. He is on ventilator support.

Health Minister Veena George is camping in the district and taking stock of the situation. The minister said the monoclonal antibody which was procured last time from Australia and stored at Pune NIV for Nipah treatment will reach the state on Sunday.

According to the minister, all 214 persons who were found to have interacted with the patient have been put under observation. Of these, 60 are included in the high-risk category. In view of the confirmation of Nipah infection, the health department has opened a control cell in Malappuram. The cell, which functions round the clock at the PWD Rest House in Malappuram, can be reached by dialling 0483-2732020.

The Kerala Medical Services Corporation (KMSCL) has been directed to supply an adequate stock of other medicines, masks, and PPE kits. As a precautionary measure, 30 isolation rooms and a six-bed ICU have been arranged at the Manjeri Medical College.

The minister also informed that the Pune NIV will be providing a mobile lab similar to the one which was given during the previous incident of the infection.

Strict curbs in Anakkayam, Pandikkad
In view of the Nipah outbreak, District Collector VR Vinod has issued an order imposing strict regulations in Pandikkad, the native place of the 14-year-old patient, and in Anakkayam Panchayat where his school is located. The order has been issued by invoking provisions of the Kerala Public Health Act and the Kerala Disaster Management Act.

As per this order, public gatherings are strictly restricted within the limits of the two local bodies. Events like weddings, which were scheduled prior, should be conducted by ensuring the participation of a minimum number of persons. All commercial establishments such as shops and restaurants, except drug stores, will be permitted to function only between 10 AM and 5 PM. Cinema theatres will be completely shut down. Schools, colleges, madrassas, anganwadis, and tuition centres are restricted from functioning.

General restrictions in Malappuram District

1. People should avoid gatherings as much as possible.

2. Masks should be worn strictly

3. School students and teachers must wear face masks during school working hours.

4. Social distancing should be maintained while attending events like weddings, funerals, and other celebrations. People are also advised to avoid attending these events to the maximum extent possible.

5. People are required to consult a registered medical practitioner as soon as developing symptoms of fever and should desist from taking self-treatment.

6. People are advised to avoid consuming fruits that are half-eaten or bitten by birds or animals or that have fallen on the ground. Eat fruits and vegetables only after washing them properly.

7. Consult a registered medical practitioner and seek treatment in case of developing any physical uneasiness, including fever or vomiting. If there is a situation where the disease spreads to more people, contact the following numbers: 0483-2732010, 0483-2732050, 0483-2732060, and 0483-2732090.

Malappuram is reporting the Nipah case for the first time. Earlier, Kozhikode district (2018, 2021, 2023) and Ernakulam district (2019) confirmed the virus outbreak. Antibodies for the virus have been found in fruit bats in Kozhikode, Wayanad, Idukki, Malappuram, and Ernakulam districts. The first outbreak in South India and the third in India was reported on May 19, 2018, from Perambra in Kozhikode district, resulting in 17 deaths from 18 confirmed cases by June 1, 2018. Earlier Nipah cases were reported in West Bengal in 2001 and 2007.