Thiruvananthapuram, July 4 - Health officials in Kerala on Friday sounded an alert in three northern districts. Two people here have been found to have possible symptoms of Nipah virus infection. Following which, fears of a resurgence of the epidemic have arisen in the state. Health alerts have been issued in Kozhikode, Malappuram and Palakkad districts, officials said.
The suspected cases from Malappuram and Palakkad districts were detected during routine checks at government medical colleges in Kozhikode and Malappuram. An official statement said that samples have been sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune for confirmation. “We have already strengthened the preventive measures as per the Nipah protocol,” Health Minister Veena George said after chairing an emergency meeting to review the situation.
The minister said that the police have been asked to help identify people who came in contact with the patients. District collectors have been asked to prepare containment zones and public announcements are being made to raise awareness. He said that the authorities are also being asked to investigate whether there have been any unnatural or unexplained deaths in recent weeks – one of the key warning signs of a potential pandemic.