The Nipah virus was responsible for the two “unnatural deaths” reported from Kerala’s Kozhikode district, according to confirmation from the union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday. A central team of experts, according to Mandaviya, has been dispatched to Kerala to assess the situation and support the state administration in managing the Nipah virus epidemic.
The deceased
One of the deceased and four of his relatives’ samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune for examination.
On Monday, a district-wide health alert was issued when it was thought that two deaths may have been caused by the Nipah virus.
Control rooms established
In the meantime, the Keralan government established a control room in Kozhikode and suggested that people wear masks as a precaution.
“This is where the control room is now open. We have established 16 committees to coordinate the preventative measures, and all hospitals and medical personnel have been directed to adhere to the infection control guidelines, including the wearing of PPE kits, according to Kerala’s health minister Veena George.
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She also suggested avoiding pointless hospital visits.
“At this time, there is no need for alarm or worry, and all of these steps are precautions to prevent further cases if the results are positive. We anticipate a poor result,” George added.
Kerala’s chief minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, stated in a video message earlier in the day that the state administration takes the two fatalities very seriously. The chief minister urged people to use caution and assured them that there was no need for concern because individuals who had been in close proximity to the deceased were receiving treatment.
“There is no need for concern. People who have touch with the deceased are being located and given medical attention. The secret to handling the problem is caution. Everyone is urged to work with the health department’s action plan, the official said.
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On May 19, 2018, news of the first Nipah virus (NiV) epidemic in southern India came from Kozhikode.
Nipah virus: What is it?
The Nipah virus infection is a zoonotic disease that can be passed from person to person, through contaminated food, or directly from animal to human, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). It can induce a variety of symptoms in those who are infected, including asymptomatic (subclinical) infection, severe respiratory sickness, and deadly encephalitis. According to WHO, the virus can also cause serious illness in pigs and other animals, costing farmers a great deal of money.
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