Union Health Minister Mr. Mansukh Mandaviya said on Tuesday (September 12) that two people have died due to Nipah virus in Kozhikode district of Kerala. The state government had sent five samples to the Pune-based National Institute of Virology for testing after unnatural deaths of two people were detected in Kozhikode district.
These samples were sent so that it could be found out whether they are infected with Nipah virus or not. Out of these five, one sample was from the deceased and four were from his relatives. Apart from this, the state health department had also issued an alert on Monday (September 11) after the death of these two people.
#WATCH | On two suspected deaths due to Nipah virus in Kerala, Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya says, "They have been confirmed…" pic.twitter.com/6MwAwsfOOd
— ANI (@ANI) September 12, 2023
What did the Chief Minister say?
Chief Minister of Kerala Mr. Pinarayi Vijayan wrote in a post on Facebook on Tuesday that the government is taking the death of two people seriously. The Health Department has issued an alert in the district suspecting Nipah virus infection as the cause of these deaths.
Held a high level meeting
State Health Minister Veena George reached the district. He chaired a high-level meeting to assess the situation. After this he told that the government is taking all precautionary measures.
He said that the first death occurred in a private hospital. The deceased’s children, brother and his relatives are being treated as they are suffering from fever. George said that many people had come to the hospital and efforts are on to trace the people who came in contact with the deceased or his family.
When did the first case of Nipah occur?
Cases of death due to Nipah virus were also reported in Kozhikode district of Kerala in 2018 and 2021. The first case of Nipah virus in South India was reported in Kozhikode on 19 May 2018.
