Kozhikode: The test results of eight people who came in close contact with the 12-year-old child who died of Nipah virus infection in Kozhikode district, returned negative on Tuesday. Kerala Health Minister Veena George said the news comes as a huge relief. "The samples of parents and healthcare workers who attended to the child have been tested negative. It's a moment of relief that the results of those who came in close contact with the child have come out negative. More samples will be tested on Tuesday," she said at a press meet.
The health department had said 251 contacts of the child had been identified, of which 129 are healthcare workers. Of the 54 people in the high-risk category at the Medical college isolation ward, 30 are health workers. According to hospital sources, all of those who showed symptoms are currently stable.
Read: Kerala authorities intensify efforts to trace origin of Nipah virus
The state has heightened the alertness of its health machinery to prevent an outbreak of Nipah. The health departments in four districts including Kozhikode, Kannur, Malappuram and Wayanad have been put on high alert. The local authorities have intensified efforts to trace the origin of the virus which is important to control the further spread of the deadly virus and gauge its threat.
The deceased child had developed fever on August 27 and was first admitted to a clinic in his locality. Later, he was taken to a private hospital in Omassery from where he was brought to Kozhikode Medical College hospital. However, he was shifted to another private hospital where he succumbed to the virus early Sunday. The samples of the boy, which were sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune, confirmed the presence of the virus.
The first Nipah virus outbreak in South India was reported in the same district in May 2018. The state had witnessed 17 deaths and 18 confirmed cases due to the virus.
