Lessons to be learnt from how Kerala managed Nipah

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 18: On May 19, 2018, the dreaded Nipah virus was detected in Kerala, within the Kozhikode and Malappuram districts.

It later changed into an outbreak leaving 17 folks useless and 18 folks confirmed with the illness.

This was the primary outbreak of Nipah in South India and the third one in India.

The two earlier outbreaks in India, in keeping with the WHO had been in West Bengal in 2001 and 2007.

The supply of the Nipah virus was traced to fruit bats and it was confined to Kozhikode and Malappuram in North Kerala.

In 2021, Nipah was detected in sufferers with fever however was restricted to Pazhur village in Chathamangalam gram panchayat of Kozhikode district. The second outbreak of Nipah claimed one life.

It was on May 2, 2018, that the illness was detected in a affected person who was admitted in a Primary Health Centre in Perambra, Kozhikode district. When his situation worsened he was taken to Kozhikode Government Medical College the place he succumbed.

His brother additionally confirmed related signs and on testing it was discovered to be the Nipah virus. The samples had been later despatched to the National Institute of Virology the place it was reconfirmed that he was affected by Nipah.

Ten folks at Kozhikode Medical College had been contaminated and a nurse Lini Puthuserry who handled the primary affected person contracted the virus and handed away.

The illness unfold to the adjoining Malappuram district and later well being advisories had been issued in Kozhikode and Malappuram. Cases had been additionally reported in neighbouring Mangaluru district.

The Kerala authorities and the then well being minister Okay.Okay. Shailaja, then well being secretary Rajeev Sadanandan and the Kozhikode and Malappuram district administrations, together with well being officers and the police, swung into motion and the areas had been cordoned off and isolation measures had been put in place.

This managed the unfold and by June first week the unfold was completely curtailed. Seventeen folks together with the nurse Lini Puthussery died and 18 folks reported contracting the illness.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) and worldwide well being journals lauded the efforts of the Kerala authorities and Shailaja was praised for her management.

Lini Puthussery, the 28 yr previous nurse of Perambra Taluk Hospital who succumbed to the illness after contracting it whereas treating the index affected person, Mohammed Sabith, was hailed on social media and by the WHO.

Dr Jim Campbell, WHO’s Director of Health Workforce, paid wealthy tributes to the nurse and tweeted that society should always remember the providers that she had rendered to the ailing folks through the Nipah outbreak, sacrificing her personal life.

The state authorities had just one virology lab in Alappuzha district and after the outbreak of Nipah, this lab was upgraded.

The Nipah virus once more resurfaced within the state in September 2021 and a 17-year-old boy was detected with the illness. The boy from Chathamangalam in Kozhikode succumbed however quick motion by the state authorities and well being officers restricted Nipah’s unfold and no new instances had been reported.

After Nipah, there have been a number of situations of individuals getting contaminated by rat fever and monkey fever. Swine flu is one other contagious illness that Keralites have suffered continuously. The primary well being system being in fine condition, in many of the instances the recoveries are quick.

Presently many Keralites are in Qatar watching the FIFA World Cup and experiences of camel flu has led to the state well being division gearing up for any eventuality.

A Kerala well being division official, talking on the situation of anonymity, instructed IANS “We are ready for any disease and the medical system in the state is well equipped to manage any viral or bacterial outbreak. We are keeping our fingers crossed on the reports of camel flu in the Middle East.”

Lessons to be learnt from how Kerala managed Nipah IANS 18 December 2022 Post Your Comments

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