Nipah Outbreak: Kerala To Conduct Seroprevalence Survey In Kozhikode

On the Seroprevalence Survey, CM Pinarayi stated that the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) did not provide a clear answer for the repeated virus outbreak in Kozhikode.

Vijayan said scientific precautions have been taken to prevent the spread of Nipah in Kozhikode

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday said that the state will conduct a seroprevalence study on the Nipah virus found in Kozhikode district. The CM said that the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) did not provide any clear answer to the repeated virus outbreak in Kozhikode. Taking to the media, CM Vijayan said, the state has decided to conduct a sero survey and health department has been asked to prepare a detailed proposal for this.

In Thiruvananthapuram, Vijayan said that the state has been making all-out efforts to contain the spread and provide the necessary treatment for the infected patients. 

The CM said that it cannot be understood that Nipah threat has gone away. It is a relief that the infection did not spread to more people, he said, reported ANI.

Pinarayi said that the government was going ahead with the measures to prevent the spread and the entire healthcare system of the state was involved in the initiative with required caution.  He said that scientific precautions have been taken to prevent the spread of Nipah in Kozhikode. Precautions have also been taken in neighbouring Kannur, Wayanad and Malappuram districts.

He said that the government intervened and coordinated preventive measures as soon as the abnormal fever was noticed. As it was detected early, a more dangerous situation was averted

The CM said 1286 people are in the contact list of patients and of them 276 people belong to the high-risk category. Around 122 of them are family members and relatives of the patients while 118 health workers are on the contact list. 

The state has kept 994 people under observation, he said, as per the report.

Currently, nine people are kept in isolation at Kozhikode Medical College Hospital.