Health Minister K. Muraleedharan has said that the three highest-risk contacts of the 43-year-old Nipah infected patient from Ramanattukara in Kozhikode have tested negative for the virus, indicating that a community spread of the lethal zoonotic disease is unlikely at the current juncture.
The three contacts, who are also his close family members, are under observation at the Government Medical College Hospital (MCH) here since June 12. The tests were held at the microbiology lab at the hospital. A press release quoting Mr. Muraleedharan said on Saturday that four more persons on the contact list were under observation at the MCH. Thirteen more persons in the lowest risk category were added to the list as well. At present, there are 100 people on the contact list. Eighty-two are in the lowest risk category, 14 in the high-risk category, and four are in the highest risk category.
ICMR team’s visit
Meanwhile, a team from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) arrived in the district to take stock of the situation. The team visited the MCH where the infected person is undergoing treatment. Its members also participated in a review at the collectorate attended by Revenue Minister A.P. Anil Kumar, who is the district in-charge.
Official sources said that the patient continued to be on ventilator support. The first dose of monoclonal antibody was administered to him on June 12. The medical board would evaluate the situation after 48 hours and give him the second dose, they added.
Mr. Anil Kumar told the media earlier that from the current scenario, it could be presumed that there had not been any large-scale spread of the infection. There was no need to declare a containment zone and put restrictions in place, he said. People from Kozhikode, Malappuram, and Kannur were on the contact list, he said.
No lapses: Minister
The Minister claimed that there had been no lapses in the containment steps as alleged by leaders of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)]. There are 320 houses in the area from where the infected person hails. Health workers have reached out to all the residents. The health system was fully prepared to handle the situation, he said.
This comes against the backdrop of the allegations by Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan, Beypore MLA P.A. Mohamed Riyas, and CPI(M) Kozhikode district secretary M. Mehboob accusing the political executive of being lethargic to the current situation. Mr. Riyas on Saturday staged a protest outside the Nipah control room at the Kozhikode collectorate claiming that steps were not being taken to address local residents’ concerns.