Thiruvananthapuram:
After a 12-year-old boy from nearby Mavoor died of Nipah in the wee hours on Sunday, local authorities have geared up to check any further spread of the dreaded virus in Kozhikode and surrounding areas.
The Kozhikode Medical college hospital sources told PTI that they have since opened an exclusive Nipah ward to cater to any possible outbreak of the virus.
It said that after a proposed meeting with ministers and health experts, further plans would be decided.
Two more people have been identified with symptoms of Nipah virus infection, Kerala health minister Veen George said here on Sunday.
The two are among the 20 high risk contacts of the deceased 12-year-old child, she said.
"We have identified 188 contacts till now. The surveillance team have marked 20 of them as high risk contacts. Two of these high risk contacts have symptoms. Both are health workers. One works with a private hospital, while the other is a staff member of Kozhikode Medical College hospital," she told reporters after chairing a high-level meeting to take stock of the situation.
She said all the 20 high risk contacts will be shifted to the Kozhikode Medical College by evening, while other contacts of the child have been asked to remain in isolation.
The hospital where the boy was being treated since September 1 is on alert and the situation there was being closely monitored, sources said.
"The death of a 12-year-old boy has been confirmed due to Nipah virus. We have already started contact tracing, and assessing the situation. The team from NCDC is also coordinating with us," said Kerala Health Minister Veena George in Kozhikode.
Giving details of the case, the minister told reporters, "Unfortunately, the boy passed away at 5 in the morning. The condition of the child was critical on Saturday night. We formed various teams and have started the tracing. Steps have been taken to isolate those who were the primary contacts of the boy".
The minister said the infection was confirmed by the Pune NIV on Saturday night.
"Three samples– plasma, CSF and serum– were found infected. He was admitted to the hospital with a heavy fever four days ago. But on Saturday, his condition became worse. We had sent his samples for testing the day before yesterday," the minister said.
George said none of the close contacts of the boy are showing any symptoms as of now and that the health department has already traced out the contacts of the child.
"There is nothing to worry about. The health department is closely following up the situation. Special officers have been posted and special teams were formed. The patient was first taken to a private hospital, then to the medical college and from there again shifted to a private hospital. So we have traced all his contacts. The friends he played with in his locality, his cousins and others, the health department had completed the identification and tracing of all these contacts," George said.
The minister also asked the neighbouring Kannur and Malappuram districts to remain cautious. Hospital sources said the boy will be cremated today itself following the health protocol. Police have cordoned off an area of three km radius around the house of the boy.
The staff of the local hospital in Omaserry near Mavoor, where the child was first taken for consultation after he developed severe fever late in August, has also been alerted.
The Central Government has rushed a team of National Centre for Disease Control to the state, which will be reaching on Sunday.
The team will provide technical support to the state, the ministry said.
Pazhoor (ward 9) of Chathamangalam panchayat has been fully closed and nearby wards of Nayarkuzhy, Koolimad, Puthiyadam wards were partially closed, the sources said, adding that police have been deployed to restrict vehicle and people movement in or out from these places.
The health authorities have alerted the people in the area to immediately report any instances of fever, vomiting and other health disorders.
The health authorities in Malappuram and Kannur have also been alerted to closely monitor the situation.
Local residents said police personnel reached there around 4 AM and closed all pocket roads leading to the child's house.
They also said that the roads there are deserted now and police have informed them that the main road in Pulpara and Kulimadu would also be closed after some time.