The Nipah virus outbreak in the district has been successfully controlled with no new case being reported in the past few days.
However, District Collector U.V. Jose and Health Services Director R.L. Saritha told the media on Friday that the surveillance would continue till June 30 since the contacts had to be followed up for symptoms of Nipah for the longest incubation period of 21 days.
A declaration that the Nipah virus outbreak had been contained would be made by the State government after following a protocol set by the World Health Organization.
The body fluid samples of seven suspects sent for virology tests on Thursday and Friday also tested negative. As of now 295 samples had been sent to virology labs and 278 had tested negative. The remaining results were awaited.
Contact list
Dr. Saritha said there were 2,649 people on the contact list deduced from various places. They would be under surveillance. Only two persons had been kept under observation at the Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital.
Regarding the survivors of the infection, she said they would be subjected to multiple examinations before their discharge from the hospital.
They would also be given psychological support.
On the reopening of educational institutions, Mr. Jose said the academic year would commence from June 12 as scheduled earlier. All restrictions imposed following the outbreak such as social gatherings and marriage functions were lifted.
However, free ration would be distributed to persons on the contact list who were unable to attend work.
An all-party meeting would be held at the Collectorate at 11 a.m. on Sunday to take stock of the situation. Elected representatives, including MPs and MLAs, and representatives of all political parties would take part in the meeting.
Mr. Jose said action would be initiated against those spreading fake messages through social media. One more person had been arrested on such a charge. The arrest of 23 people had brought down the menace but the nuisance still continued, he said.