By News18
Two suspected cases on Nipah virus has been detected in Kerala. The cases were reported in two districts, one each in Palakkad and Malappuram. The recent detection has prompted the authorities to issue an alert in three Kerala districts鈥 Kozhikode, Malappuram, and Palakkad.
The new cases have revived fears of an outbreak that the state has battled in the past.
The tests conducted in Malappuram and Kozhikode medical college hospitals have confirmed the Nipah virus infection. The samples have been sent to Virology institute Pune for confirmation.
The suspected cases were flagged during routine testing at the two government medical colleges.
State Health Minister Veena George chaired an emergency meeting to assess the situation and said the health department has 鈥渁lready strengthened preventive measures in line with Nipah protocol.鈥
In the three districts on alert, 26 special teams have been formed in each region to carry out contact tracing, monitor symptoms and inform the public.
Help from the police has been sought to identify people who may have been exposed to the patients, the minister said.
District collectors have been asked to prepare containment zones, and public announcements are being made to raise awareness.
In an attempt to contain the infection, the health department has issued directives to strengthen the preventive measures. State and local helplines are being set up to assist the public. Meanwhile, collectors have been handed over the responsibility to make arrangements to declare containment zones.
Another high-level meeting will be held on Friday evening to assess the the evolving situation and ensure all precautions are in place.
Earlier in May, a Nipah virus case was confirmed in Malappuram after a 42-year-old woman from the Valanchery municipality area tested positive. Health authorities had said she was under treatment at a hospital in Perinthalmanna. Later that month, the Health Minister declared the sole Nipah virus patient infection-free, after the patient tested negative in two consecutive samples.