Kerala Health Minister Urges 21-Day Isolation for Nipah Negative Contacts

Kerala’s Health Minister, Veena George, has emphasized the need for individuals who test negative for the Nipah virus to remain in isolation for a period of 21 days. This statement comes in the wake of a recent case where a person who had direct contact with a Nipah-infected individual tragically passed away on August 30. The infected person, a 39-year-old from Cheruvannur, contracted the virus during treatment at a private hospital where the deceased had sought medical care. The authorities are in the process of creating a route map to identify potential contacts, and the number of individuals on the contact list is expected to rise.

Addressing the media during a Nipah review meeting, Minister Veena George announced that an expansion of Nipah testing would take place, with testing facilities being set up in Kozhikode itself. Contact lists will be generated using mobile locations, and preventive measures in line with the Kerala Epidemic Act of 2021 will be implemented under the supervision of the district collector. Even in cases where initial tests yield negative results, a mandatory 21-day isolation period will be enforced, followed by retesting.

Additionally, Minister AK Saseendran disclosed that Dr. Arun Zachariah, the Chief Veterinary Surgeon of the Forest Department, has been assigned the task of investigating the deaths of wild boars in the Janakikadu region.

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