Samples of six patients suffering from fever were tested negative for Nipah virus, Kerala Health Minister K.K. Shailaja announced on Thursday. She said there was no need to panic as the situation was under control.
Speaking to the media here, Shailaja said all those who were tested negative were in direct contact with the youth who tested Nipah positive early this week.
"All these patients are under close observation and continue to be in the isolation ward of a hospital. The youth who tested positive is also recovering well," said Shailaja.
High alert across the state will continue and whenever necessary, samples of suspects will be send to the concerned laboratories including the National Institute of Virology, Pune, she said.
"I am told that two people who came seeking treatment for fever at the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College are under observation and their samples also would be send for testing," said Shailaja.
She said the hospital has got the special medicine for Nipah patients.
"Two of our doctors have got training from the Indian Council of Medical Research in administering this medicine that has come from Australia. In case this medicine has to be administered, the doctors will have to seek the permission from the patient's relatives," added Shailaja.
The youth who has been confirmed with the Nipah virus is from Paravur in Ernakulam district. He was studying in Idukki's Thodupuzha.
Last month, he came with 16 other classmates for a student internship in Thrissur and later developed fever.
The Minister said a team of experts were trying to identify the source of the virus by visiting places the youth belongs to and visited.
At present over 300 people from Thrissur, Paravur in Ernakulam district, Thodupuzha in Idukki and in Thiruvananthapuram continue to be under observation.
Last May, Kozhikode and Malappuram districts of Kerala were under the deadly grip of Nipah virus. Caught completely off guard and in the absence of a vaccine then, the South Indian state had a mammoth task at hand. Rising to the grave situation came people from all walks of life — bureaucrats, health officials, doctors, nurses, cleaners and volunteers, to rescue lives as the virus targeted 35 million people.
Director Aashiq Abu, who impressed viewers with ‘Salt N’ Pepper’, ’22 Female Kottayam’ and ‘Mayanadhi’(his last film), returns with a bigger canvas in a never-before-seen take on the fight with ‘Virus’. Scripted by co-writers Muhsin Parari, Suhas and Sharafu, ‘Virus’ raises a toast to the unsung heroes who stared death in the eye and remained duty bound.
‘Virus’ is supported by a battalion of stars known for their brilliant performances — Revathy, Kunchako Boban, Rima Kallingal, Asif Ali, Parvathy TK, Tovino Thomas, Rahman, Indrajith, Joju George, Aishwerya Lakshmi, Dileesh Pothan, Madonna Sebastian, Remya Nambeesan, Soubin Shahir and Indrans.
Gulf News tabloid! spoke to the cast and crew about the Malayalam film:
“It was Aashiq Abu’s idea to make a film based on the Nipah outbreak,” said scenarist Muhsin Parari-who shared the Kerala state award for Best Screenplay (2018) for ‘Sudani from Nigeria’.
Adding to the spark was Parari’s cousin working at Kozhikode Medical College. “He used to share about cases that were reported there.”
