Residents of Pandikkad and Aanakkayam panchayats have been asked to not leave their homes unless necessary as the secondary contact list of the 14-year-old Nipah victim is being made. A sexagenerian, who was not on the contact list of the boy was shifted to the Intensive Care Unit of Kozhikode Medical College Hospital with symptoms of the viral infection. He was initially admitted to the Manjeri Medical College before being shifted to Kozhikode MCH, Manorama Online said in a report. His sample has been sent to the Pune NIV (National Institute of Virology) for testing.
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The 14-year-old Pandikkad native, who was the first Nipah case of this year, was declared dead while undergoing treatment on Sunday morning. Kerala health minister Veena George said he suffered a massive cardiac arrest at 10.50 am on Sunday and efforts to revive him failed. "He was on ventilator support. The urine output had reduced this morning. After a massive cardiac arrest, the revival efforts failed and he passed away," Veena George said.
LATEST UPDATES:
- A mobile Biosafety Level-3 (BSL-3) laboratory for testing additional samples from contacts has arrived in Kozhikode, the Hindustan Times said in a report. The Union Health Ministry's advisory asked Kerala to strictly isolate people with viral symptoms while quarantining all contacts of the late patient without fail. Moreover, the state government was asked to trace his contacts over the past 12 days to identify all potential chances of the viral spread.
- Restrictions have been imposed in Pandikkad and Aanakkayam panchayats of Malappuram district.
- Shops and commercial establishments have been asked to open only between 10 in the morning and five in the evening.
- No more than 50 people can take part in marriage and related ceremonies.
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- As many as 214 people were named in the late teenager's contact list. They all remain under observation, Manorama Online said in a report. Among them 60 have been included to the "high-risk" category, requiring sample testing.