No new cases; Nipah outbreak under control, says Kerala minister

KOZHIKODE: Indications are that the Nipah outbreak in Kozhikode district, which was first reported on September 11, is under control, Health Minister Veena George has said. Briefing reporters after a review meeting in Kozhikode on Saturday, Veena said as per the available information, there seems to be no secondary wave of the infection. No new positive cases were reported in the state till Saturday evening, the minister said. Veena, however, said the presence or absence of a secondary wave can be ascertained only after the testing the remaining samples. “The findings of the health department about the spread of the disease have been vindicated. The assumption that the person who died on August 30 was the index case, from where the virus spread to others, has been found to be correct,” she said. “The samples of some symptomatic patients have been sent for examination and the results are expected on Sunday. Health worker who attended to the Nipah infected has been admitted to an isolation ward with symptoms,” she said. A total of five symptomatic patients have also been admitted to hospitals. Veena said as many as 1,192 people now figure in the contact list. “As many as 97 contacts were traced on Saturday,” she said. The tourists reached Kozhikode to spend one month of vacation, but they left early cancelling their plans due to Nipah a seen from Kozhikode beach. (Express Photo | E Gokul) Meanwhile, two persons with Nipah-like symptoms have been quarantined in Thiruvananthapuram. Works Minister P A Mohamed Riyas told reporters in Kozhikode that a person has been arrested for spreading false information related to the Nipah outbreak. Only online classes till September 24 Riyas said some issues related to payment of bills related to the treatment of Nipah-related cases in private hospitals have come to the notice of the government and a final decision on the issue will be taken after discussion with the chief minister. Meanwhile, police have intervened to stop the athletics selection trials conducted by the District Athletics Association at Balussery. The functioning of the Beypore fishing harbour was suspended after the area was notified as a containment zone. The district administration said that there will be only online classes at the educational institutions in Kozhikode till September 24. An earlier order that online classes should be held ‘till further instructions’ was withdrawn after it created some confusion.