Malappuram: Kerala was put on high alert after Health Minister Veena George revealed that six people in the deceased victim's contact list were from other districts. The 14-year-old Nipah patient from Malappuram passed away while under treatment at the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital on Sunday.
It is learnt that some people from Thiruvananthapuram and Palakkad districts have developed symptoms of Nipah infection. The minister confirmed that 13 samples would be sent for testing.
"Four people in the contact list are from Thiruvananthapuram district and two of them had direct contact with the deceased Malappuram boy," the minister said. Among the two Palakkad natives, one is a staff nurse at the hospital where the boy sought treatment and the other one is employed as a security guard in the same hospital.
"In all, 350 persons are currently in the contact list and 101 among them are in the high-risk category. A total of 13 samples including the swab of the (deceased) boy's parents will be sent for the test today. Though the boy's parents have not shown any symptoms till date we are following the procedures,” said the minister.
The health department is actively trying to trace out all the persons in the contact list. There is no need to panic, she added.
Meanwhile, the health department released a revised route map of the Class 9 boy on Monday. As per the map, he had attended tuition class a day before he sought medical care at the nearest clinic. It is also revealed that he had used public transport -- including buses and autorickshaws -- to travel from July 11 to 15. The boy had sought treatment in five hospitals including Kozhikode MIMS Hospital and the Government Medical College Hospital.
