Corpn urges govt to set up virology institute in Kozhikode

In the wake of the outbreak of Nipah virus infection at Perambra, the Kozhikode Corporation has urged the State government to set up the proposed virology institute in the city and establish an exclusive isolation ward for Nipah infected patients at the Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital.

A resolution to this effect was adopted at a meeting of the city corporation council here on Monday. The resolution, moved by Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader K.V. Baburaj, who is also the chairman of the Corporation Health Standing Committee, pointed out that suspected Nipah patients were now being quarantined at the medical college hospital. However, there was a need to shift them to a dedicated hospital or even set up a specialty hospital with isolation wards since many were infected with the virus after visiting the medical college hospital, he said.

None of the victims had any knowledge about Nipah virus and had not taken precautionary steps. However, the State government had been able to bring the situation under control after an expert team of doctors detected the virus. The Centre had appreciated the efforts of the Health Department and the World Health Organisation had made a commendable observation in this regard, Mr. Baburaj said.

Mayor Thottathil Raveendran said that the situation after the outbreak of the disease in the city was grave with people becoming reluctant to travel by buses and trains. People had stopped purchasing fruits and were refusing to eat from plantain leaves, he said.

Even the usually busy hospitals too wore a deserted look for the past one week, he added.

Concerted efforts of all, especially the residents’ associations, were required to combat the yearly occurrence of diseases such as chikungunya, dengue fever, malaria, H1N1 (swine flu) and leptospirosis. The existing Jagratha Samitis would be strengthened in all the 75 wards in the city, the Mayor said. Mr. Raveendran said that hospital staff and health officials should be appreciated for their dedicated work after the outbreak of the disease.