'Nipah patients will undergo RTPCR testing every day': Health department releases treatment protocol

KOZHIKODE: The health department has released the protocol for the treatment of Nipah in Kozhikode after a 12-year-old patient died and two people on the contact list were showing symptoms.

Nipah patients will undergo RTPCR testing every day. If the patient regains health, or if the RTPCR result is negative in all three samples twice at 5-day intervals, the patient may be discharged at the discretion of the treating physician and the medical board.

If the first result is negative, the person should be monitored for 3 days. If there are no further symptoms, they should be monitored at home for 21 days. Further tests will be performed on those with symptoms. If the result is negative and there are no symptoms, then the individual should be observed for 3 days. If there are still no symptoms, the person will be discharged. It is also recommended in the protocol to perform a detailed examination on those with symptoms and negative result to find if they have other disease.