Natives of Thiruvananthapuram and Palakkad in contact list of Nipah victim; four under observation in capital city

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Natives of Thiruvananthapuram and Palakkad are in the contact list of the 14-year-old boy, who died of Nipah in Malappuram. Reports said four are in the contact list, including three members of a family in Thiruvananthapuram. Two of them are in the primary contact list.

There are also reports that one in the contact list has fever. The youth reached the hospital when the Nipah-affected boy was undergoing treatment. It is reported that even after returning from Malappuram, the youth’s fever has not gone. There is no further clarification in this regard.

Four samples will be tested today. Two floors have been kept vacant in the pay ward of the medical college hospital to keep them under observation. Meantime, the 14-year-old boy, who died of Nipah was confirmed to have consumed hog plum (ambazhanga). The source of the disease is being investigated. Along with this, the samples of those who came to the hospital where the boy was undergoing treatment, will also be tested.

Health Minister Veena George informed that the samples of nine people, including the boy’s parents, will be tested in Kozhikode today. None of them have symptoms. The boy has boarded the bus and it has been found.

After the review meeting, the minister told media that the samples of the four people in the contact list will be tested in Thiruvananthapuram. ‘Apart from Malappuram, Thiruvananthapuram and Palakkad are also included in the contact list. There are four in Thiruvananthapuram. Two of them are on the primary contact list. Two are secondary contacts. There are two in Palakkad. One of them is a staff nurse and the other is the security at the hospital. As per the figures, 350 people are in the contact list. 101 of them belong to the high-risk category. 68 people are health workers,' said the minister.