Six suspected patients in Kerala test negative for Nipah virus

Fresh samples sent to the National Virology Institute, Pune have tested negative for Nipah virus infection, bringing relief to the Kerala Government.

The six patients are two nurses, a nursing assitant, friends of the patient and a relative. They were in the admitted in the isolation ward of Medical College Kalamassery.They were collected from the persons who had kept close contact with the Nipah virus affected student, currently undergoing treatment in a private hospital here.

The blood and body samples were sent to the Virology lab in Pune. The primary tests conducted at the Virology Lab in Alappuzha also proved negative, said Kerala Health Minister, K.K.Shailaja.

Currently, seven persons with symptoms of fever are under observation in the isolation ward and the authorities are waiting the results for one more person from Pune. The Minister also said said that two people are under observation in Thiruvananthapuram Medical College.

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan has convened a meetingon Thursday evening at Ernakualm collectorate to take stock of the situation. Efforts are also on to find out the source of Nipah virus in association with the Animal Husbandry department.

Meanwhile, the condition of the college student who confirmed positive for Nipah virus has improved further with high fever conditions subsiding. The medicines which came from Australia to combat the virus has not been used on the patient as his condition is stable now.

Authorities are keeping a close watch on the 314 persons who were in contact with the student admitted in the hospital.

The Health Minister said that all those quarantined for being in direct or indirect contact with the confirmed case will continue in the isolation ward till the incubation period is over.

According to WHO, the incubation period (interval from infection to the onset of symptoms) is in the range of 4-14 days.