Kerala Heath Minister KK Shailaja on Tuesday confirmed that at least one person is infected by Nipah virus in the state. The announcement came after final confirmation from the National Institute of Virology in Pune.

Health Minister K K Shailaja earlier said a list of 86 people who have interacted with the student has been prepared and they were under medical observation.The Kerala Health department has initiated precautionary measures to deal with the possible outbreak of Nipah virus.

Shailaja in Mondayu said in Thiruvananthapuram the 23-year-old college student, who has been admitted to a private hospital in Kochi, is suspected to have been infected with the Nipah virus but final confirmation is awaited from the National Institute of Virology in Pune.She said isolation wards have been set up at the Kalamassery Medical College Hospital in Kochi.The minister rushed to Kochi after briefing Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan about the development.

What are the steps being taken?

Medical experts from Kozhikode have already reached Kochi and there are enough medicines and medical equipment to deal with the situation, she said.Health workers are being imparted training in case the test in Pune institute is positive and more cases are reported.She said a list of 86 people the student had come in contact with has been prepared.They were under observation and will report to the nearest medical facility if they develop influenza-like symptoms like fever, headache, myalgia (muscle pain), vomiting and sore throat, she said.No such complaints have been reported from them so far, the minister said.

  kerala news, Nepah virus news