Kozhikode: Amid increasing cases of Nipah virus in Kozhikode, Kerala, an order has been issued to keep all schools and colleges closed for two days on Thursday. Two people have died here due to Nipah virus. A 9 year old child is in ICU. Nipah virus has also been confirmed in a health worker. With this, so far five cases of Nipah have been reported in Kerala. On Thursday, the Central Health team reached Kozhikode, Kerala. This team will hold a meeting with the district administration regarding Nipah virus.
On Wednesday, a team from Kozhikode Medical College collected samples of betel nut and guava from Maruthonkara village to test for Nipah virus. Earlier, Kerala Health Minister Veena George said that the virus confirmed in the state is the Bangladeshi variant. It spreads from humans to humans. The death rate from this virus is high, but it is less contagious.
An alert has also been issued in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka. The medical department has directed to test the fruits coming from Kerala in the district. Also asked to make checkposts on the borders to check vehicles. In Mangaluru, patients suspected of having brain fever have been asked to be kept under observation.
The first death due to Nipah virus in Kozhikode occurred on August 30 and the second death occurred on September 11. Four districts of Kerala – Kozhikode, Kannur, Wayanad and Malappuram are on alert regarding the virus. Wearing masks has been made mandatory in hospitals. 7 gram panchayats here have been made containment zones. Only shops selling medicines and essential goods are allowed to open from 7 am to 5 pm.
Former Kerala Health Minister K Shailaja said that there is no need to panic about Nipah virus. The situation in Kozhikode is not as bad as it was in 2018. At that time this virus was new to us and we had no experience in dealing with it. Now we have the necessary facilities to stop this. In 2018, 17 people died due to Nipah virus in Kozhikode and Malappuram districts. In 2019, a case of Nipah virus was reported in Kochi. At the same time, in 2021 also a case of this was found in Kozhikode.
