In 2018, Nipah broke out in north Kerala districts Kozhikode and Malappuram claiming 17 lives.
Kerala on Monday is waiting for the blood reports of a youth, suspected to be infected by the Nipah virus. The Ernakulam health authorities said the Pune Virology Laboratory results were expected later in the day.
The youth is being treatment at a private hospital near Kochi. Health Minister K.K. Shailaja has negated claims made by the online media that the youth under treatment is a Nipah positive patient.
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She has said that there has been no confirmation about the youth's test results and hence there was no need for any concern.
She has also assured that the Health Department was fully geared up to face any eventualities.
Yesterday, District Collector Mohammed Y Safirulla had termed as baseless the posts circulating on social media regarding the confirmation of Nipah infection in a patient admitted to a private hospital in Ernakulam.
Patients showing any symptom of Nipah would be subjected to further tests to confirm the disease and this was part of the standard procedure, said the Collector. “There is no need to panic over the development,” said Safirulla.
Last May, the Nipah (NiV) virus attack took away 12 lives, with 22 positive cases reported from Kozhikode and Malappuram districts that created a huge scare.
