Nipah spread checked; Kerala lifts high alert

The Kerala Government on Sunday decided to lift the high alert sounded in Kozhikode and Malappuram districts that were hit by the deadly Nipah virus last month as the virus has been brought under control and its spread has been stopped. Nipah has claimed 17 lives so far in the two northern Kerala districts.

“No new cases of Nipah infection have been reported. In this context, we can conclude that the spread has ended. Therefore, we are relaxing the high alert that has been in force so far,” Health Minister KK Shailaja told newsmen on Sunday after chairing an all-party meeting held at the Kozhikode District Collectorate for assessing the Nipah situation.

“As the situation has come under control, educational institutions will reopen on Tuesday as announced earlier by the District Collector,” said the Minister. Schools in Kerala had reopened after the two-month summer vacation on June 1 but this was postponed to June 12 in Kozhikode, Malappuram and some adjacent areas of Kozhikode district in the context of the virus scare.

Restrictions on holding public functions also were being relaxed but it would be better to continue the vigil till June 30 as decided earlier, Shailaja said, adding, “As the situation stands now, there is no need to isolate those under observation or to avoid talking to them. They should be able to lead normal life.”

Of the total 379 blood and body fluid samples subjected to analyses, only 18 had tested positive for Nipah and 16 persons in whom the virus was confirmed had died. “We expect the remaining samples also to prove negative. Nobody under observation has tested positive since May 31. We don’t expect any further spread now,” the Minister said.

The total number of Nipah deaths is considered as 17 because the blood and body fluid samples of Sabith (26), the first person to die with Nipah symptoms, had not been subjected to analysis.  The two persons who were confirmed to have contracted the virus have recovered and one of them will be out of the hospital on Monday and the other on June 14.

A total of 2,649 persons, who might have come into contact with affected persons, had been placed under observation but that number had now come down to 1,430 and it would further come down to 849 after Tuesday. They will remain under observation for 42 days considering the incubation period of the virus.