Thiruvananthapuram: The number of people infected by the Nipah virus in Kerala has reduced to a trickle by Thursday, but the scare caused by the deadly virus has virtually crippled Kozhikode district, where the virus was first reported and a majority of deaths have happened.
Kozhikode is known for its robust business environment and lively ambience, with the countless number of restaurants serving all kinds of non-vegetarian fare being a highlight.
Following the Nipah scare, business have been seriously affected, restaurants are bereft of people, and the market places look deserted, much like on a strike day that Kerala occasionally observes to register one protest or another.
Ironically, some nurses in the district complain that they too are at the receiving end of the Nipah scare, stating that the general public are keeping a distance from them because they fear they may contract the disease from the nurses who treat the Nipah-affected patients.
Local media reported that some nurses complained that even auto-rickshaw drivers were refusing them rides for fear of contracting the virus from them.
On Thursday, the district administration announced a ban on all kinds of gatherings in the district until May 31 as a precautionary measure against the virus, which in turn is expected to further affect public activity in Kozhikode.
The state government has demonstrated that it is committed to taking action against fearmongers. On Wednesday, local officials registered cases against two employees at the Mavoor Road crematorium for refusing to cremate a Nipah victim.
Interestingly, even though people normally rush for medical help in times of a medical emergency, people in Kozhikode have been staying away from hospitals for fear of contracting the Nipah virus from suspected patients already admitted in hospitals.
A similar drop in number of clients has also been witnessed at laboratories, too. Staff at laboratories feel that people are scared to come in contact with patients or their family members who may be visiting laboratories with blood or saliva samples.
Tourism in the Malabar region is also at risk of being affected by the Nipah scare. Kerala is on the brink of the monsoon season, which is normally lean time for tourism, but tourism operators worry whether the Nipah scare will continue into the coming months, affecting earnings in the peak season.
