Dozens under watch as Nipah scare worries Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala moved quickly on Monday to prevent a suspected Nipah virus outbreak in the state, setting up isolation wards in hospitals and keeping a few dozens of suspected patients under close medical surveillance.

In 2018, Kerala had endured a Nipah outbreak which was localised in Kozhikode and Malappuram districts, which claimed over a dozen lives including that of P.S. Lini, a nurse who bravely chose to attend to Nipah victims and lost her own life.

Preparations to contain a likely outbreak of the virus began in full earnest after state health minister K.K. Shailaja said a 23-year-old student undergoing treatment in a hospital in Ernakulam was suspected to be affected by the virus.

Confirmation will come only after some of the test results are available from the virology institute in Pune.

The state authorities sprung quickly into action, setting up isolation wards in Ernakulam, Thrissur, and Kozhikode medical colleges.

Minister Shailaja said there was no need for panic, and that the state government had enough stock of medicines.

Earlier also, there have been suspected cases and samples sent for tests but results had turned out to be negative, she said.

“In this case also the patient’s samples have been sent to NIV, Pune, and the government is awaiting results. Only after we get the report from the institute can it be confirmed if the patient is infected by the virus or not,” the minister told reporters here.

The male student who is suspected to be affected by Nipah is studying at an educational institution in Thodupuzha. Those who have been in close touch with him over the last few weeks are under observation.

The youth started running a temperature when he was doing an internship in Thrissur. None of those who were in close touch with him has shown any signs of illness so far.

The Ernakulam district collector has given orders to ensure functioning of a 24-hour control room exclusively devoted to deal with suspected Nipah cases at the Ernakulam Medical College.

The tourism sector, a leading revenue earner for Kerala, will be most concerned about the development because of its likely negative impact for the industry. The 2018 Nipah outbreak had adversely affected the fortunes of the tourism sector.