With no fresh Nipah virus-positive cases reported since Saturday, 16 September, Kerala Health Minister Veena George reiterated that the situation is under control.
The samples of 218 people who were on the high-risk contact list were reported as negative for the virus till 18 September, the Kerala government said on Monday.
The state health minister told reporters that in view of the comforting news, the government has decided to grant some relaxations in the areas declared as “containment zones” on 13 September.
Kerala Tourism Minister PA Mohamed Riyas, who was also part of the press briefing, said that relaxations would be announced by the district collector, based on the recommendations of an expert panel.
Riyas added that online classes in educational institutions in the district were going on effectively and that there was an air of cooperation between members of the public and the authorities.
Relaxations in containment zones
On 18 September, District Collector of Kozhikode, A Geetha announced, through a Facebook post, that the containment zones in nine gram panchayats have been relaxed.
They are:
- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 12, 13, 14, 15 wards of Ayancheri gram panchayat
- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 12, 13, 14 wards of Maruthonkara gram panchayat
- 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 20 wards of Tiruvallur gram panchayat
- 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 wards of Kuttiady gram panchayat
- 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 wards of Kayakkody gram panchayat
- 2, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 wards of Kavilumpara gram panchayat
- 1, 2, 19 of Changaroth gram panchayat
- 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 wards of Villiappally gram panchayat
- 13th ward of Purameri gram panchayat
According to the relaxations, banks can operate up to 2 pm and shops up to 8 pm with proper precautionary measures — masks and physical distancing.
The spread of Nipah
On how the virus was transmitted from bats to humans, George said that the surveys by the government and the ICMR’s bat surveillance team have found that the Nipah virus was transferred between mammals through their saliva, especially on food.
So, she added that it was imperative that fruits or vegetables bitten by bats should not be eaten by humans.
“In a few days, we will get a complete picture regarding this,” she said.
Till Monday evening, 1,270 contacts were traced, some of them through the help of the police, George said. She added that over 47,000 homes had come under surveillance in Kozhikode till now.
She also said that the Animal Husbandry Department held a meeting with the Forest Department and other key departments and, subsequently, decided to carry out continuous community surveillance.
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Launch of OPD service in eSanjeevini
In the wake of the outbreak, the state government launched an OPD service under its eSanjeevini telemedicine system.
The launch of the special outpatient department (OPD) service, in connection with the Nipah virus outbreak, was highlighted by Kozhikode District Collector (DC) A Geetha.
In a Facebook post, the DC said that the new service would help address doubts related to Nipah and those showing symptoms of infection can seek medical assistance without having to go to a doctor.
Geetha said that the eSanjeevani Nipah OPD service will be available from 8 am to 5 pm. Apart from the regular OP, the services of specialist doctors are also assured every day, the DC’s post said.
eSanjeevani is a platform where one can seek treatment via telemedicine from the comfort of their home, without visiting the hospital.
Also Read: Kerala government working to identify area, source of index case
42 days of quarantine
Regarding the four Nipah-infected patients, including a nine-year-old boy, the state health minister said their medical condition was stable. The last Nipah-positive case reported in the state was on 15 September.
The minister had, on Sunday, said that as no new positive Nipah virus cases were reported, the containment and quarantine measures would remain in place for 42 days from the last positive case reported.
The incubation period of the virus is 21 days and therefore, “a double incubation period of 42 days from the last positive case” is considered as the period during which caution has to be exercised, George explained.
The total number of cases of Nipah infections confirmed in the state is six, of which two succumbed and four people are currently being treated.
The World Health Organization and ICMR studies have found that the entire state, not just Kozhikode, is prone to such infections.
Also Read: Why Kerala is first to detect and report exotic viral strains
(With PTI inputs)
