Districts near Nipah-hit Kozhikode must be alerted: NCDC

In the wake of Nipah outbreak in Kozhikode district of Kerala, the Central team from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) that was sent here on September 5 has said in its first report that the nearby districts of Kannur, Malappurum and Wayanad need to be alerted.

In its communication to the State, the Union Health Ministry said that the Central team, along with district surveillance officer and other officials, carried out field investigations. “Based on the first report submitted by the Central Team, we have made a series of recommendations which has been shared with the State for further follow up action,” said the Health Ministry.

The team has recommended that currently both hospital-based and community-based surveillance needed to be strengthened, awareness needed to be created among the field formations for early detection of cases of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome/ Respiratory Distress, and risk communicated to the public.

It has also suggested that there should be an active search for cases in the containment area, as per the micro plan provided by the Central team. “District authorities must identify primary and secondary contacts and prepare line listing of high risk and low risk contacts. All high risk contacts may be moved to identified facility quarantine and observed for symptoms,” noted the Ministry’s communication.

Government Medical College, Kozhikode, has been identified as the treatment centre and the Union Health Ministry has said it should ensure that adequate number of single room isolation facility and negative pressure ICU are earmarked as stand-by.

Also, adequate stock of Ribaverin (anti viral) and Personal Protective Equipments needed to be maintained at the district level.

The Ministry said Animal Health and Wild Life Department’s and other field officers may be initiated to trap and collect samples from fruit bats for virological studies and other associated measures.