One affected and five suspected of Nipah virus infection: KK Shailaja

Five more persons were under observation in Kerala in the wake of scare over Nipah virus even as the condition of the patient who was diagnosed with the virus is now stable. state Health Minister K K Shailaja sai on Wednesday.

"His condition is normal now and I think his condition is stable now. The patient admitted to the hospital after testing positive with Nipah Virus is stable now. Only five patients are admitted in the isolation ward.... ncluding the one who had tested positive, the number is six," Shailaja told ANI here.

A 23-year-old college student tested positive for Nipah virus in Kerala's Ernakulam on Tuesday.

Apart from rushing a team of doctors to the state for investigation, the Centre had promised to provide every help to the state.

Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Tuesday had said that he was "very vigorously" following the situation.

Shailaja added that the condition of patients who had been admitted on suspicion of the Nipah virus was under control and the doctors were hopeful that they will test negative for the virus.

"The suspected cases are not in a severe condition. The samples have been sent to the NIV institute in Pune for tests and are waiting for the results. Their condition is stable now, we can't predict for tomorrow but we are hopeful it will be under control tomorrow," she said.

Shailaja asserted that the medicines would reach by the end of the evening. She added that as per the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines medicines which would be administered in cases of emergency were with the team if the need arose.