Nipah virus case confirmed in Kerala, Govt urges public not to panic

Kochi: A 23-year-old college student has been infected with the Nipah virus in Kerala, the State government confirmed on Tuesday.

Last year, the Nipah virus had claimed as many as 17 lives in the state.

Briefing the press here today, Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja said, the results of blood samples, which were tested at the National Institute of Virology in Pune, have confirmed Nipah. The student has been admitted to a private hospital here.

The Minister said, the condition of the student is stable and he was not put under any support system like a ventilator. She said, 86 people who have interacted with the student were under medical observation.

The Health Minister has also urged people not to panic and the situation is being monitored. The health department is on standby to handle any adverse situation.

Meanwhile, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan took stock of the situation in Kerala and had assured all possible support to the state.

A six-member team dispatched by the centre yesterday has reached Kerala to tackle the NIPAH virus outbreak. A Control room has been established and NCDC Strategic Health Operations Center is activated. The phone number of the control room is number 011-23978046.

Nipah virus is transmitted from animals to humans and spreads through contact. It is associated with fatal encephalitis and respiratory illness. There is no known vaccine against the virus.

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