The serum samples of a 23-year-old male student in Kerala’s Ernakulam district, that were sent for further tests to the National Institute of Virology in Pune, have come back positive for Nipah virus, confirmed Health Minister KK Shailaja on Tuesday. Kerala Health Minister also asks people not to panic and confirms tests conducted .
Addressing a press conference in Kochi, the minister said the government received tests results earlier today which confirmed the virus infection. The minister assured that the government has taken all precautionary steps to prevent the spread of the infection.
Four people, including two nurses, who have been in contact with the index patient at the hospital have fever and are being monitored. Though their condition is not said to be serious, one of them has been shifted to the isolation ward.
What is NIPAH Virus?
The group of 86 people have been kept under observation and asked to report to the nearest medical facility if they develop influenza-like symptoms like fever, headache, myalgia (muscle pain), vomiting and sore throat.
The virus spreads from animals to humans and then to other humans.
Last year after much investigation, fruit eating bats were identified as the primary source of the infection and people were advised not to consume fruits partly eaten by bats.