First Nipah victim was having water from bats-infested well

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service 

New Delhi, May 22 

A Central team in Kozhikode to review Nipah virus outbreak has found bats in the vicinity of the house of the first victim of the deadly virus.

The team from National Centre for Disease Control on Monday visited the house in Perambra from where the initial death from NIPAH was reported. 

The team found many bats housed in the well from where the family was drawing water.  Fruit bats are natural hosts of NIPAH virus, which can spread to humans.

“Some bats have been caught and have been sent for lab examination to confirm whether they are the cause of the disease or not. Sixty different samples have been collected from the spot and sent for examination. There are two confirmed cases with history of contact with the index case. They were admitted in the Calicut Medical College Hospital and died due to NIPAH virus, the central team said.

The Health Ministry has, meanwhile, mobilised a public-health team from NCDC Branch Kozhikode to assess the extent of problem, for risk assessment and risk management.  

They are assisting the state team already deployed at the epicentre.  

The government said so far, seven patients have been admitted in Baby Memorial Hospital and in the Government Medical College at Kozhikode and at the Amrutha Medical College, Ernakulum.

Ten deaths have already been reported.

Union Minister for Health J P Nadda has urged people not to believe in rumours posted on social media and not to spread panic.  He is reviewing the situation.

The central team has further advised hospitals to follow intracranial pressure (ICP) guidelines, use personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers and sample collection; assist in enhancing active fever surveillance in the community; strengthen contact tracing in close contacts of cases, relatives, health care workers; ensure isolation facilities, ventilator support and hospital infection control practices; and coordinate with animal sector and enhance surveillance for unusual illness and deaths in animals.

The Ministry has sent diagnostic kits, personal protective equipment and risk communication materials. 

High quality personal protection equipment has also been provided to health care personnel. 

A total of nine individuals are currently under treatment. Isolation wards have been opened in many hospitals in Kozhikode. 

Appropriate steps to contain this virus have been taken among domestic animals such as pigs. 

“Since all the contacts are under observation and steps to avoid exposure through animal vectors have been taken there is no reason for people to panic. This appears to be a localised occurrence,” Ministry said.

With early and efficient containment measures the outbreak is unlikely to spread. 

The Virus Research Diagnostic Laboratory at Manipal Hospital and the National Institute of Virology, a premier institute for research in virology, are geared up to meet any diagnostic challenges that may arise, Government has assured.