Nipah patient remains in coma

The condition of a 42-year-old woman from Valanchery affected by Nipah virus remained unchanged on Sunday. The woman remained in a coma on ventilator support in the intensive care unit of E.M.S. Memorial Hospital, Perinthalmanna. She was given two doses of monoclonal antibodies and other medicines as part of the State’s Nipah treatment protocol.

“Her condition remains stable, with neither improvement nor deterioration,” said District Medical Officer R. Renuka.

Minister for Health Veena George said that 11 more people on the contact list of the affected woman tested negative on Sunday, bringing the total number of people who have tested negative for Nipah to 42.

As many as 18 more persons were included on the contact list on Sunday, raising the total number on the list to 112. When 54 of them were in high risk group, 58 were in low risk category.

As many as 81 of them were from Malappuram district, 25 from Palakkad district, three from Kozhikode district and one each from Ernakulam, Idukki and Thiruvananthapuram districts.

Ten of them have been under treatment for various ailments, and two of them have been admitted in the intensive care unit (ICU). They have been given prophylactic treatment, said Mr. George.

The Minister reviewed the Nipah situation through an online meeting in which top health officials in the State attended on Sunday evening.

Fever surveillance

Trained health officials visited 2,087 houses in and around Valanchery on Sunday as part of the ongoing fever surveillance. They have covered 87% of the houses in the area, visiting a total of 3,868 houses so far.

The Health department is set to launch a joint outbreak investigation with the support of the Animal Husbandry department on Monday. A surveillance of domestic animals in the region will begin on Monday.

Officials will study recent changes in animal behavior and collect samples from domestic animals. They will also investigate recent deaths among domestic animals and collect samples where possible. “We have limitations in including wild animals. Focus will be more on cats and dogs,” said District Surveillance Officer C. Shubin.

Ends