"Two more people test negative for Nipah," says Kerala Health Minister Veena George

Kozhikode (Kerala) [India], July 26 : Kerala Health Minister Veena George announced that the test results of two more people for the Nipah virus have come out negative, bringing the total number of negative samples to 68.
Four new admissions have been reported, with a total of five people currently undergoing treatment. There are 472 individuals on the contact list, including 220 in the high-risk category. So far, 807 people have received mental health services. Minister Veena George participated online in the Nipah review meeting held at Malappuram Collectorate.
As part of the Nipah prevention activities, health workers have completed home visits in Pandikkad and Anakkayam panchayats in Malappuram.
The Minister said that all individuals on the contact list must strictly follow the isolation guidelines for 21 days. Discharged patients must also adhere to isolation guidelines. Strict action will be taken against those who do not comply, the minister said.
The minister also requested that people wear masks and maintain social distance.
Notably, the Centre has advised immediate public health measures to be taken by the state government, such as active case searches in the family of the confirmed case, the neighbourhood, and areas with similar topography.
The Centre has also advised active contact tracing (for any contacts) and strict quarantine of the contacts in the case, isolation of any suspects, and collection and transportation of samples for lab testing.
It is important to note that outbreaks of Nipah Virus Disease (NiVD) have been reported in Kerala in the past, with the most recent one occurring in 2023 in the Kozhikode district.