The conclusion of the fourth patient’s double-negative test results marks the end of the Nipah virus alert in Kozhikode, Kerala, said Veena George, the state Health Minister.
Following this, several areas of the district, especially where the suspected outbreak surfaced, was turned into a containment zone and for almost a week all educational institutions in the district went into online mode. Kozhikode saw two Nipah deaths and six positive cases.
Over 950 samples were sent for testing and since the end of last week, all the protocols were being lifted and finally the district is free from restrictions.
Meanwhile, National Institute of Virology officials from Pune are continuing their tests on samples collected from bats as they are yet to identify the cause of this latest outbreak.
Nipah is a zoonotic virus, meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans. Fruit bats serve as the natural reservoirs for Nipah virus.
Source: IANS
