Kochi: Kerala state has been struck with Nipah outbreak and with deaths increasingly being reported in the area, it is feared the outbreak has entered the second stage in Kerala.
Kerala’s Health Minister K K Shailaja has called in for a special meeting on Saturday to address the issue after another death has been reported from Kerala’s Kozikhode District.
A 39-year-old woman from Thalasseri is the latest victim of the Nipah outbreak in the state and is currently undergoing treatment at the Kozhikode Medical College and another 6 suspected cases of the same have been admitted in the hospital on Friday, Indian Express reported.
The confirmation on whether fruit-eating Bats are the carriers of the Nipah Virus will hopefully be known today.
The Kerala High Court has issued directives to all courts in the district to remain closed until June 6 after one of the court’s officials succumbed to death after being infected with the virus.
District Collector of the state has been instructed to submit a status report on June 6.
With the spread of Nipah virus in the District, very few people are stepping out in public areas despite the busy Ramadan month.
While the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Friday had released data that suggests the Nipah virus has so far claimed that the virus has so far claimed 16 lives and as many as 753 suspected cases are under observation after experiencing similar symptoms.
Meanwhile, Union Health Minister J P Nadda, speaking on the issue, said the situation in Kerela is under control and that the Centre is extending its constant support to the state’s health minister.
Addressing the 71st World Health Assembly in Geneva, Nadda said, “Within five hours of the first report, we activated the protocol. We had sent teams from Indian Council of Medical Research, National Centre for Disease Control, All India Institute of Medical Sciences doctors, and Ram Manohar Lohiya hospital.”