The Kerala government, on Tuesday, decided to felicitate the staff for their exemplary service while treating those afflicted with Nipah virus. The government will award early increments to 61 government staff and gold medals to 14 residents for their courage in handling the outbreak. 

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced this decision through a Facebook post on Wednesday.

"The Assembly has decided to give an early increment to those government staff including doctors for their exemplary service to the Nipah afflicted persons in Kozhikode,” the post said. 

The post further said, “The increment is being awarded as part of recognising those acted, with no fear for their own lives, to control the spread of the epidemic.”

The CM added that the awards will be given to 61 people including four assistant professors, 19 staff nurses, seven nursing assistants, 17 cleaning staff, four hospital attenders, two health inspectors, four security staff, one plumber, and three lab technicians. Apart from this, 12 junior residents and 2 senior residents will also be awarded gold medals of one sovereign each. 

“In memory of Lini Puthussery, the nurse who contracted Nipah and died while treating the afflicted patients, the government has also decided to set up an award for The Best Nurse in public service," said the post.  

The prompt response and measures to contain the virus and the tireless service of the health department staff has received appreciations from several quarters earlier including the Kerala High Court. 

Live Law reported that the Kerala HC Chief Justice Hrishikesh Roy - who is hearing a petition filed by two law students asking for misleading videos on Nipah to be taken down from Facebook - said that "the health workers had gone beyond the realms of their duties to render selfless service, unmindful of health risks."

Furthermore, the court orally observed that the health department had effectively worked to contain the outbreak. Justice Roy also lauded Dr RS Gopakumar, who performed the last rites of several patients who died of Nipah.