Page 2 - Nipah

Nipah outbreak under control but threat is not over yet, says Kerala CM

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Tuesday the Nipah outbreak reported from Kozhikode district is under control but the threat of the infectious disease is not over yet. He said that at present, it is not possible to rule out the chance of a second wave of the Nipah outbreak. "It cannot be said that the threat of Nipah is completely over," the Chief Minister told a press conference here. Vijayan said the state health system could effectively prevent the spread of the deadly virus. "The health system is working cautiously. Early detection of the virus averted a dangerous situation," he said. Narrating the steps taken by the government to check the prevention of the disease, Vijayan said currently 994 people are under surveillance. Samples of 304 people were collected, and of this, the test results of 267 people have been received, he added. He said six people tested positive and nine people are under observation at Kozhikode Medical College. The Chief Minister said e

Nipah situation is totally under control in Kerala: Minister Veena George

The situation regarding the latest Nipah outbreak in Kerala is completely under control, and more than 200 samples from the high-risk contacts were tested negative, Kerala Health Minister Veena George said here on Monday. In an interview with PTI, the minister said so far 1,233 contacts have been traced and categorised into high-risk and low-risk contacts. "A very positive thing is that all four patients under treatment are now stable, and the condition of the nine-year-old boy, who was on ventilator support, is improving clinically. He is now out of ventilator support and is being given minimal oxygen support," George said. A round-the-clock control room and 19 teams on the field have helped in the strict implementation of the protocol, bringing things under control, she said. "So far, we have six positive cases, and all the samples tested for the last three days were negative," the minister said. The Central teams who have been working with the Kerala health department have ...

Nipah virus update: No positive cases since Sept 16, says Kerala govt

The total number of Nipah infections confirmed in the state is six, of which two persons have died, and four persons are being treated

Centre, ICMR in talks with Serum Institute of India over Nipah antibody

Kerala has so far confirmed a total of six cases of Nipah infection since the latest outbreak in the Kozhikode district

19 teams working in field to trace contacts of Nipah virus patients

Minister Veena George began by highlighting the extensive efforts made to trace and identify individuals who may have come in contact with the infected individuals

No new positive cases of Nipah, results of 51 samples awaited: Kerala govt

In a relief for the Kerala government, no fresh positive cases of Nipah virus were reported on Saturday in the state even as five more persons, who came into contact with those infected, showing some symptoms of the disease were admitted in isolation at the medical hospital here. Kerala Health Minister Veena George, at a press briefing in the evening, said that in a relief for the state, no fresh positive cases were reported during the day. However, results of 51 samples sent for testing were awaited, she said. The minister also said five more persons, who had come into contact with the infected persons, were admitted in the hospital, after showing symptoms of Nipah infection. "Their samples have also been sent for testing," she said. At present, six cases of Nipah infection have been confirmed in the state. Of the six, two persons have died bringing the number of active cases to 4. The minister said the number of people who were suspected of coming into contact with those infec

Kerala govt working to identify area, patient zero of Nipah virus outbreak

After identifying the man who was the patient zero or index case of the Nipah virus outbreak in Kerala, the state government on Saturday began looking for the source and place from where he got infected by seeking details of his mobile tower locations. Kerala Health Minister Veena George said while the state government was trying to determine where and how the man got infected, the central team was collecting bat samples to ascertain the viral load. She also claimed that the state's efforts to combat the virus outbreak were appreciated by the central team. The government was also focusing on completing contact tracing in respect of the sixth person who was confirmed, on Friday, to have been infected by the virus, the minister told reporters here. She also said that there were no new positive cases and in a relief for the state, 94 samples -- of persons from the high-risk contact list -- have come back negative for the virus. Meanwhile, 21 people at the Kozhikode medical college an

Nipah virus update: Schools, colleges shut in Kozhikode till Sept 17

The Kerala Health Department issued a health alert after two 'unnatural' deaths because of fever were reported at a private hospital in the Kozhikode district amid rising cases of Nipah virus

Nipah virus: One more confirmed case in Kerala; total tally rises to 6

The administration has created containment zones in a 5 km radius of the homes of the two men who died of infection on August 30 and September 11

Kerala confirms one more Nipah virus case; total tally stands at 6

The state government has strengthened measures to prevent the spread of the infection

Experimental antiviral against Nipah, BSL-3 lab reach Kerala: State govt

In the wake of the Nipah outbreak in Kozhikode district of Kerala, due to which two people lost their lives and three others have tested positive for the virus, the only available experimental treatment -- monoclonal antibody -- was delivered to the state by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Thursday. After the monoclonal antibody arrived in Kerala, State Health Minister Veena George said that the stability of the antiviral was discussed with a central expert committee. "Further steps or course of action would be decided by the expert committee," she said. George also told reporters that, earlier in the day, there was a meeting between the Principal Secretary of the Health Department and the Union Health Ministry. The m102.4 monoclonal antibody, an experimental therapeutic, was imported for the treatment of infected patients on compassionate grounds during the 2018 Nipah outbreak in Kozhikode. It was not used back then as, by the time it arrived, the outbreak had ...

Nipah situation not as scary as was in 2018: Kerala's ex-Health Minister

Former Health Minister and senior ruling CPI(M) MLA K K Shailaja says Kerala has nothing to worry about the Nipah outbreak in Kozhikode as the situation is not as scary as it was in 2018. Shailaja, who had won accolades for containing the Nipah infection effectively in 2018, said the southern state has a protocol and Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to effectively fight the infection and prevent its spread. She was the Health minister in the previous LDF government, which fought the first Nipah outbreak in the state. "In 2018, it was a new virus to us, and we did not have any experience battling such an infection. Now, we have everything in place to contain it effectively," Shailaja told reporters here. She said Nipah testing facilities have been established in the state but the declaration of virus infection can only be made by the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune. "We have the facility. We tried it out during the first bout in 2018 at Kozhikode. But the declaration c

Nipah cast shadow on Kerala's tourism industry during peak season

To contain the outbreak, the government has declared seven village panchayats in Kozhikode district as containment zones

Nipah patients' contact list grows to 350, 50% high-risk category: Official

Earlier, on Tuesday, the state Health department issued an alert for Kannur, Wayanad and Malappuram districts after the confirmatin of Nipah infection in Kozhikode

Kerala on alert after 2 suspected Nipah deaths in Kozhikode district

The state experienced its first outbreak in June 2018 in the Kozhikode and Malappuram districts, claiming 17 lives

Nipah alert sounded in Kerala's Kozhikode after 2 'unnatural' deaths

The Kerala Health Department sounded a health alert in Kozhikode district on Monday following two "unnatural" deaths suspected to be due to the Nipah virus infection. State Health Minister Veena George held a high-level meeting and reviewed the situation, the health department said in a statement on Monday night. It said two "unnatural" deaths following fever were reported from a private hospital, and it is suspected that these were due to the Nipah virus. Relatives of one of the deceased are also admitted to the intensive care unit, it said. Deaths due to Nipah virus infection were reported in Kozhikode district in 2018 and 2021. The first Nipah virus (NiV) outbreak in south India was reported from Kozhikode on May 19, 2018. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Nipah virus infection is a zoonotic illness that is transmitted to people from animals and can also be transmitted through contaminated food or directly from person-to-person. Among infected people, it cause

State swung into action against Nipah right from the start: Kerala CM

The moment the first case of Nipah was identified in the state, the government swung into action and took all necessary steps, including forming committees, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said

Nipah virus in Kerala: 251 contacts traced, says Health Minister

All 24 samples of eight persons sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune have tested negative for Nipah virus, said Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Tuesday

Kerala issues Nipah management plan for govt and private hospitals

The Kerala government on Monday issued a Nipah management plan listing the health protocol to be followed by government and private hospitals.

Nipah resurfaces in Kerala; claims one life, two health workers infected

This comes at a time when the state is contributing to over 70 per cent of the Covid cases in India