Route map of Nipah patient released; condition remains critical, 15 in home quarantine

KOZHIKODE: The health condition of the 43-year-old man diagnosed with Nipah and undergoing treatment at Kozhikode Medical College remains to be critical. The patient is presently on ventilator in the isolation ward. The health department has released his route map. The route map of the patient from May 30 to June 10 has been released.

The patient had reached the Red Crescent Hospital on June 2, and on June 9 reached Aster MIMS Hospital in Kozhikode and later at Kozhikode Medical College. 15 people belonging to the highest risk and high-risk categories who had close contact with the patient are in home quarantine. 77 are on the patient's contact list. The patient's place will be declared a containment zone only if the symptoms are seen in more people.

Nipah was confirmed on the person from Ramanattukara in Kozhikode. He is a sanitation worker. He had gone to clean an old building in Feroke itself. He first sought treatment at a private hospital due to health issues and was later discharged from there. He later fainted. It is reported that since he was an alcoholic, he was also taken to a de-addiction center, believing that he had withdrawal syndrome.

The health department is examining two possibilities as to where the patient contracted the virus from. Although he was a cleaner and worked in a godown, the possibility of contracting the disease from there is considered very low. The health department is prioritizing the possibility that the patient may have contracted the virus from fruits bitten by bats, as he ate chickoos from his home garden. Officials said that there is currently no need for people to panic and that they should remain vigilant.