Malappuram: The National Institute of Virology, Pune, on Sunday confirmed that the 23-year-old from Naduvathu near Wandoor here died of Nipah. Health Minister Veena George said 16 committees had been formed per the Nipah protocol to monitor and prevent the situation on Saturday, right after the samples tested in Kozhikode Medical College were Nipah positive. The health department sent five more samples of the symptomatic persons under observation to the Kozhikode lab.
The Naduvath native was a student in Bengaluru and came home to avail treatment for a leg injury. Later, he contracted a fever and consulted doctors at four different hospitals. He died on September 9 at a private hospital in Perinthalmanna. “He also travelled to a few places with his friends. We have taken the details of his contact list and isolated those who came in direct contact with him. The samples of five persons in the contact list have been sent for lab tests as they have shown slight symptoms of Nipah. However, there is no cause for panic,” said Veena George.
Health authorities extended the list of persons in contact with the youth to 151. Two persons from the contact list have been admitted to the Manjeri Medical College Hospital for observation.
Thiruvali Panchayat, situated between Manjeri and Nilambur towns, is under high alert.
Efforts to prepare the contact list are in the final stage. The minister also said measures have been taken to find persons with symptoms as soon as possible.
The Malappuram District Medical Officer suspected Nipah because the youth displayed symptoms of brain fever. Based on these symptoms, the health department sent the samples to Kozhikode for initial testing. A meeting of health officials was convened on Saturday evening to evaluate the situation.
Meanwhile, an emergency meeting was convened by Thiruvali grama panchayat, where the disease was confirmed. It has been made compulsory to wear masks, and a fever survey will be held in the panchayat starting Monday.
“The survey will comprise health workers, Asha workers, etc, from Thiruvali and nearby panchayats,” Thiruvali panchayat president K Ramankutty told Onmanorama.