It’s not yet known how primary contact contracted Nipah virus infection in Kerala: IMA panel chairman

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The key aspect to address right now is how the primary contact contracted the infection which is still unknown, said Indian Medical Association (IMA) Public Health Standing Committee Chairman Dr A Althaf following the Nipah outbreak in Kerala.

"The first outbreak of Nipah virus in Kerala was in May 2018...The most important thing is that we still don't know how the primary case contracted the disease. That is the key aspect we have to address right now," Dr Althaf told ANI.

Further, he said, "We conducted a study by coordinating with the public and private sector physicians and other health workers, it was an elaborate one. We collected all the details including the contacts, and the reason for transmission among the public as well as the health workers. But we still lack information about how the primary contact contracted the disease. If he contracted it from bats or some other animals or from another source. Till now, we lack that information."

He said that almost 99 per cent of the cases in all outbreaks are secondary cases, apart from the primary cases.

"The primary case gets the disease from nature...we may have to stick to strict protocols to contain the infection," he added.

Meanwhile, Kerala Health Minister Veena George earlier today said that no new cases of the Nipah virus infection were reported in Kerala till Saturday afternoon after samples of 11 more people tested negative for the infectious virus.

"Those who tested positive are undergoing treatment at two private hospitals and medical college hospitals in Kerala. Medical boards have been set up in all those hospitals", said George while speaking to ANI.

Further, she said, "All who are in treatment are under stable condition as per the report of medical boards. The child of the diseased who is Nipah positive is slightly improving its health condition but is still on the ventilator. Today we are focusing on contact tracing of the person who tested positive last day."

The Health Minister added that the state administration has constituted 19 teams and a core team to evaluate the situation every day.

"We have assigned more ambulances to carry samples from contacts and suspects. Also, we are tracing contacts of Nipah patients in other districts. We have ensured Treatment protocol, isolation protocol and discharge protocol in hospitals," Minister Veena George said. A total of six persons have so far tested positive for Nipah virus in the state and two of them have succumbed to the disease.

The health minister said that a total of 21 people are quarantined at the Government Medical College in Kozhikode. Earlier, 9 affected gram panchayats in the Kozhikode area were declared as quarantine zones.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Nipah virus is caused by fruit bats and is potentially fatal to humans as well as animals. Along with respiratory illness, it is also known to cause fever, muscular pain, headache, fever, dizziness, and nausea.