Malappuram: The parents of the 14-year-old Nipah victim in Malappuram have tested negative for the zoonotic illness. The samples of seven others, including one each in Thiruvananthapuram and Palakkad also tested negative on Monday.
The boy from Pandikkad, who was under treatment for Nipah at the Medical College Hospital in Kozhikode, died on Sunday.
Health Minister Veena George said there are 406 persons, including 139 healthcare workers, on the contact list. The number of high-risk contacts has increased to 194. The minister said 15 persons on the contact list have been admitted to various hospitals.
"The bat surveillance team reached the district on Monday and they will study the genomic survey of the virus in the epicentre of the disease," Minister George said. "The mobile lab for Nipah tests will be functional from Tuesday. Experts from the National Institute of Virology visited the Manjeri Medical College to install the facility. We can conduct more tests once the lab is ready," said the minister.
Meanwhile, Malappuram District Collector V R Vinod eased restrictions in Nipah containment zones. Shops in Anakkayam and Pandikkad panchayat will be allowed to function between 7 am and 5 pm.
