Kozhikode: The health department in Kozhikode has raised concerns and issued an alert after two individuals recently died with symptoms consistent with Nipah virus infection. Local tests have confirmed the presence of the Nipah virus in these cases, prompting a swift response from health authorities.
The deceased individuals’ test samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune for further analysis, with results expected to be available today afternoon. If these results confirm Nipah virus infection, the health department will swiftly implement Nipah protocol procedures to contain the spread of the disease.
The first fatality occurred on August 30, when a person sought treatment for a high fever at a private hospital in Kozhikode. Initially, the death was attributed to pneumonia, and no cause for alarm was raised. However, a subsequent tragic incident heightened suspicions when another patient, who had come to the same hospital with their father, succumbed to similar symptoms.
Efforts to understand the nature of the illness intensified after the second death, with health officials taking note of four additional individuals, including children and relatives of the first deceased, displaying symptoms consistent with Nipah virus infection.
Given that the first deceased person has already been cremated, the samples from the second individual have become crucial for diagnostic purposes. Currently, four individuals, comprising the deceased person’s children, sister, husband, and son, are being closely monitored. Of particular concern is the critical condition of a nine-year-old boy among them.
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