Nipah virus: No fresh cases in Kerala, 1,233 people on contact list, says Veena George
Nipah virus were reported in Kerala as 61 samples of ‘high-risk’ contacts including healthcare workers tested negative, state health minister Veena George said on Monday. She also said that 1,233 people are on the contact list now. Nipah strain found in Kerala has been identified as the Indian Genotype, or I Genotype, which is similar to the strain found in Bangladesh, added George.
Total six cases of the Nipah virus have been found so far in Kerala of which two persons died while four others, including a nine-year-old boy are undergoing the treatment. The ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) and the World Health Organization (WHO) had conducted studies and found that Kerala and eight other states in India have the probability of Nipah occurrence, said the state health minister. “Also after 2018, we conducted surveillance and we found that the source of Nipah infection is bats.
The virus we found in Kerala is identified as Indian Genotype or I Genotype which is similar to the strain found in Bangladesh. We have two strains of Nipah Virus one is Malaysian and the other from Bangladesh," George told ANI. “The 19 core committees formed as part of defence activities are functioning well.
The central team is also testing saliva samples from bats. Efforts are also underway to add those left out to the contact list," she also said. The kerala health department has sought the help of the police to attain mobile tower locations of the deceased.
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