Kozhikode: In the wake of the death of a Nipah patient in Malappuram, the Centre has decided to deploy a multi-member joint outbreak response team from the National ‘One Health Mission’ of the Union Health Ministry. The team will be deployed to support the State in investigating the case, identifying epidemiological linkages and providing technical assistance.

Additionally, at the State's request, ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) sent monoclonal antibodies for patient management, and a mobile BSL-3 laboratory for testing additional samples from contacts has arrived in Kozhikode. The monoclonal antibodies had reached before the patient died but could not be used due to his poor general condition, a PIB release said.

The Centre has advised immediate public health measures to be taken by the State government, which include active case search in the family of the confirmed case, the neighbourhood, and areas with similar topography, active contact tracing (for any contacts) during the past 12 days, strict quarantine of the contacts of the case and isolation of any suspects and collection and transportation of samples for lab testing.

A 14-year-old boy from Malappuram exhibited AES (Acute Encephalitis Syndrome) symptoms and was admitted to a healthcare facility in Perinthalmanna before being transferred to a higher health centre in Kozhikode. However, the patient later succumbed to the disease. The samples were sent to NIV, Pune which has confirmed a Nipah virus infection. 

Seven samples test negative
The seven samples sent for testing from Pandikkad and Anakkayam panchayats came back negative, confirmed Health Minister Veena George. Health authorities had sent the samples of six schoolmates of the 14-year-old, who succumbed to the disease, and a 68-year-old man. The minister said the boy's parents did not show any symptoms. However, they have been placed under observation in the isolation ward of the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital.

There are 330 persons in the contact list at present, of whom 68 are health workers and 101 are in the 'high risk' category. The health department has also commenced a door-to-door survey to identify persons with fever and has found 28 people from Pandikkad and Anakkayam panchayats. A fresh route map will also be released. The minister further said a confirmation regarding the source of the virus can only be confirmed after a couple of days.