Kozhikode: The 14-year-old boy, who was undergoing treatment at Kozhikode Medical College Hospital for the Nipah virus, died here on Sunday. The child was on ventilator support for breathing.
Health Minister Veena George confirmed the death of the boy on Sunday. minister added that the boy's blood pressure was down and he suffered internal bleeding leading to cardiac arrest at about 10.50 am and efforts to revive him failed.
"He was on ventilator support. The urine output had reduced this morning. After a massive cardiac arrest, the revival efforts failed and he passed away at 11.30 am," George said.
The minister said the funeral will be held following international protocols. "Further matters on the funeral will be decided only after the district Collector discusses with the boy's parents and the family," George said.
Strict measures have been implemented in Pandikkad and Anakkayam panchayats, where 246 individuals who came in contact with the patient have been identified and are under observation. The fluids of another child, who exhibited fever after contact with the infected 14-year-old, have been sent for testing. Meanwhile, the child's father, mother, and uncle are kept in isolation wards.
Meanwhile, a 68-year-old man has shown Nipah symptoms in Malappuram. The patient was admitted to a ventilator in the isolation ward of Kozhikode Medical College Hospital from Mancheri Medical College, officials said. His samples have been sent for detailed testing. The sample was also sent to the Institute of Virology, Pune. The samples of the parents and close relatives of the child who died due to Nipah have been sent for testing.
The initial symptoms of Nipah virus seen in symptomatic cases include Fever, headaches, Myalgia (muscle pain), vomiting, sore throat, dizziness, altered consciousness (confusion) and atypical pneumonia.
