No new positive case of Nipaha big relief; situation undercontrol, says Kerala govt

 State Health Minister Veena George said it was a big relief for the state that no new fresh positive cases of the virus have been detected. "The situation is under control presently," she said.

PTI, 17 SEPTEMBER 23, Kozhikode: The Kerala government on Sunday said the Nipah outbreak in the state is under control as there were no new positive cases for the second consecutive day and that the already infected patients were getting better.

State Health Minister Veena George said it was a big relief for the state that no new fresh positive cases of the virus have been detected.

“The situation is under control presently,” she said.

The minister was speaking to reporters here in the evening after a review of the Nipah situation in this north Kerala district of the state.

George said the four infected persons, including a nine-year-old boy, were getting better and the child has been taken off ventilator for the time being.

Regarding the treatment using a monoclonal antibody, the only experimental therapeutic available to the government against the virus, the minister said the present variant was only 50-60 per cent effective and that the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has assured that it will get a new and more efficient version.

She also said that samples from 36 bats have been taken and sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune to ascertain the presence of the virus among the mammals.

George further said that since all the infected persons got the virus from the same person — the index case — who died on August 30, it was clear that there was no second wave and that it was welcome news.

“It can also be proved through genomic sequencing which is being carried out,” she said.

So far, 1,233 contacts have been traced and of them 352 are in the high-risk category, she said.