Contact List Grows Amid Ongoing Fever Surveillance in Malappuram
Malappuram, Kerala, May 11 — A 42-year-old woman from Valanchery, currently undergoing treatment for the Nipah virus, remains in serious condition, according to Kerala Health Minister Veena George. The state health department has ramped up surveillance and contact tracing as a precautionary response to the confirmed infection.In a health department release issued on Sunday, Minister George confirmed that the woman continues to receive intensive medical care. She remains the only confirmed Nipah case in the state so far.
Contact Tracing and Test Results
Out of 112 people identified as contacts of the infected woman, 54 are classified as high-risk and 58 as low-risk. The contact list spans multiple districts:- 81 from Malappuram
- 25 from Palakkad
- 3 from Kozhikode
- 1 each from Ernakulam, Idukki, and Thiruvananthapuram
Ten people, including two in intensive care, remain under medical observation. Prophylactic treatment has been initiated for ten individuals deemed to be at high risk.
Fever Surveillance and Preventive Measures
As part of an intensified fever surveillance effort, health workers visited 2,087 households on Sunday alone, taking the total number of homes covered to 3,868. This marks 87 percent completion of the planned surveillance effort.The health department has also issued instructions for a detailed review of any reported animal deaths in the area. This step is part of a joint interdepartmental investigation aimed at identifying the source and potential spread of the virus.
Understanding Nipah Virus
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Nipah is a zoonotic virus, which means it can be transmitted from animals to humans. The virus can also spread through contaminated food or close contact with an infected person.Kerala continues to remain on high alert, with the state health department taking swift containment and preventive actions to curb the spread.