After two deaths from Nipah virus were confirmed in Kerala's Kozhikode district, the state government on Tuesday evening said that two more cases of infections have been confirmed in the district.
Earlier on Tuesday, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya confirmed that two people had died from Nipah in Kozhikode. He also said that the Health Ministry had sent a team of experts to take stock of the situation and assist the Kerala government.
Earlier, it was reported that two "unnatural deaths" following fever had occurred Kozhikode on Monday. Subsequent tests confirmed Nipah infections.
The first death occured on August 30 and second on Monday (September 11), said Kerala Health Minister Veena George, as per PTI. She added that the two others found to be infected are the nine-year-old son and 24-year-old brother-in-law of the person who died on August 30.
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The two deceased worked together at a hopital and came in contact and a contact-tracing exercise is going on.
"The health department has also found out that the deceased persons were together in a private hospital for almost one hour at a particular point of time and as of now, there are no other points of contact for them other than that," reported PTI.
"As of now, it is understood that the index case is the man who died on August 30. Because his nine-year-old son and his brother-in-law have now tested positive," said George, as per PTI, adding that a massive-contact tracing exercise has already begun.
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George said that two epicentres of the disease have been identified, which will soon be declared as containment zones by the district collector after following due procedure, reported PTI.
George said that in the first case, 158 contacts were identified, out of which 127 were health workers and the rest were family or those from the locality of his residence, reported PTI, adding that the minister added that in the second case, nearly 200 contacts were traced, out of which 10 have been identified along with their mobile numbers.
The Nipah virus is a zoonotic virus, which means that it spreads from animals to humans. While Nipah primarily spreads to humans from fruit bats, it can also spread through pigs, goats, dogs, horses, and cats at times, according to Cleveland Clinic. It spreads either through bodily fluids transfer (blood, stool, urine, or saliva) of the infected animal to humans or consuming a food item contaminated by an infected animals or from close contact with an infected person.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Kerala government set up a control room in Kozhikode and advised people to use masks as a precautionary measure, reported PTI.
This is the third time that Kozhikode has reported deaths from Nipah virus infections. Earlier, deaths were reported in 2018 and 2021.
Kozhikode had also reported deaths due to Nipah virus in 2018 and 2021.
