Kozhikode, June 11 (IANS). A 43-year-old man from Farooq in Kozhikode, Kerala has tested positive for Nipah virus, raising fresh concerns. Health officials have initiated emergency prevention measures.
The patient undergoing treatment after showing Nipah-like symptoms has been shifted to the isolation ward of Kozhikode Medical College Hospital.
Tests conducted in the medical college lab revealed the infection, after which the patient was taken to a special isolation facility around midnight. His samples have been sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune for final confirmation.
This patient, who works in cleaning old buildings, suspects that he may have contracted the virus while doing cleaning work in a building with heavy presence of bats in Farooq.
Health experts believe that this infection can occur due to contact with bat droppings or contaminated things.
The case has triggered the process of large-scale contact tracing as concerns grew over delays in identifying the disease.
The patient initially went to doctors with a high fever, but later showed serious symptoms such as confusion and behavioral changes. Relatives considered these symptoms to be the result of alcohol withdrawal, as he drank alcohol regularly.
After this the patient was admitted to the de-addiction center, where he stayed for several days. Later, when his condition worsened, he was shifted to a big private hospital.
During this time, he came in contact with many people including the people and staff present at the centre, due to which the possible contact list increased.
Health officials have started preparing a detailed chart of the patient’s movements and identifying all those who came in close contact with him. People included in the contact list will be kept under strict surveillance.
Kozhikode Medical College has imposed strict restrictions around the isolation ward.
As part of infection control measures, entry into the SDS block has been completely blocked, barricades have been installed and parking facilities near that area have been closed.
This latest case of Nipah has reignited the debate on Kerala’s preparedness to deal with recurring outbreaks.
Although it was earlier claimed that the state had emerged as a model in Nipah prevention, questions are being raised over the absence of any dedicated advanced facility for research on the virus in Kerala.
Even in the case of this suspected outbreak, samples have to be sent to Pune for final confirmation, which shows the state’s dependence on external facilities for advanced testing of the virus.
Nipah, an infection spread from bats to humans, can cause high fever, difficulty breathing, vomiting, neurological problems and swelling of the brain. Since symptoms can appear 4 to 14 days after coming in contact with the infection, officials have asked people who came in contact with the patient to remain alert.
The final test report from Pune is awaited, so the next few days will be very important as Kozhikode and surrounding areas are on high alert.
–IANS
SCH/VC
