Centre Issues Public Health Measures For Kerala Amid Nipah Outbreak (image/pixabay)

After a 14-year-old boy from Malappuram who was diagnosed with the Nipah virus died today morning, the central government has released the following public health measures for the Kerala government:

• Active case search in the family of the confirmed case, the neighbourhood, and areas with similar topography.
• Active contact tracing (for any contacts) during the past 12 days.
• Strict quarantine of the contacts in the case and isolation of any suspects.
• Collection and transportation of samples for lab testing.

A multi-member joint outbreak response team from the National ‘One Health Mission’ of the Union Health Ministry will be deployed to support the state government in investigating the case, identifying epidemiological linkages, and providing technical assistance, the press release stated.

Read Also: Nipah Strikes Kerala Again: Malappuram Boy Under Treatment Dies

On the Kerala government’s request, ICMR has sent monoclonal antibodies for treatment, and a mobile BSL-3 laboratory for testing samples from people who have been in contact with the young boy has also been sent to Kozhikode, stated the government.

Kerala Health Minister Veena George said that the 14-year-old boy suffered a cardiac arrest around 10:50 am on Sunday. The death was confirmed around 11:20 am, as per reports. The death toll has risen to 21 since the virus first hit Kerala in 2018.

Four individuals listed in the high-risk category after coming into close contact with the boy are currently undergoing treatment at Manjery Medical College Hospital. A child undergoing treatment is reported to be suffering from viral fever. A total of 246 individuals are listed as contacts of the patient, with 63 classified as high-risk, according to Mathrubhumi.

Read Also: Malappuram District Administration Releases Directives After A Nipah Case Confirmed

Following the outbreak, the health minister held a high-level meeting on Saturday regarding measures to prevent the virus from spreading. The Malappuram district administration released directives for the public to adhere to for their safety.

The virus has no cure so far. The only way to combat the deadly infection is to manage the symptoms, which include fever, headache, breathing difficulties, sore throat, and more. The condition may progress to coma within 24-48 hours.