Nipah virus prevention measures are in effect, including the declaration of containment zones and the publication of route maps for the deceased individuals to help people avoid these areas.
The latest development in the Nipah outbreak is that a 24-year-old health worker who had close contact with a Nipah patient tested positive on Wednesday. This brings the total number of positive cases in the state to five. Given the gravity of the situation, the state government has implemented containment zones and restrictions to curb the virus’s spread. However, there is growing concern over the number of people who came into contact with the infected individuals, with approximately 700 individuals identified. Among them, 77 are considered high-risk cases, as stated by Kerala’s health minister, Veena George.
Here are the latest updates on the Nipah outbreak in Kerala:
- High-risk Nipah patients have been advised to stay indoors, and the routes taken by the two deceased Nipah patients have been made public to help people avoid those areas.
- In Kozhikode, restrictions have been imposed to prevent large gatherings at festivals and functions.
- Containment zones have been declared in 58 wards across nine panchayats in Vadakara taluk of Kozhikode district. Only essential services are allowed in these areas, and entry and exit are restricted. Shops selling essential goods can operate from 7 am to 5 pm. No specific time restrictions apply to pharmacies and health centers. Vehicles passing through the containment zones on national highways should not stop in affected areas.
- A nine-year-old boy in Kozhikode has been diagnosed with the infection, and the government has ordered monoclonal antibodies from the ICMR for his treatment. While there is no clinical proof that it works against Nipah, it is the only available treatment. The child is currently on ventilator support.
- Out of the approximately 700 people who came into contact with the infected individuals, 76 are classified as high risk, but the health minister has reported that they are all in stable condition.
- The Nipah outbreak occurred in Kozhikode this time, but Minister Veena George noted that the entire state of Kerala is susceptible to such infections, according to studies by WHO and ICMR.
- The Nipah strain identified in Kerala this time is the Bangladesh variant, which is less infectious but has a higher mortality rate. This strain can be transmitted from human to human.
- Nipah is a zoonotic virus that can be transmitted from infected animals or contaminated food to humans. Once in humans, it can spread from one infected person to another. Symptoms include fever, headache, cough, difficulty in breathing, and vomiting, which in severe cases can lead to brain swelling and brain death.
- Kerala has previously reported Nipah outbreaks, including one in 2018 where 17 out of 18 patients died, as well as isolated cases in 2019 and 2021.
- The Nipah outbreak in Kerala has put the Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka on alert. The health department has instructed the police to establish checkpoints at border points to inspect goods vehicles entering the district. Police have been directed to inspect fruits coming from Kerala into the state.
