The Kerala Health and Family Welfare department on Wednesday, issued a health advisory for persons travelling to Kerala. The advisory issued by Rajeev Sadanandan, the Additional Chief Secretary of Health and Family welfare Department says that traveling to any part of the state is safe and that the situation in the wake of Nipah virus "remains under control."
Although a few cases of infection by Nipah virus has been reported from Kozhikode district, the advisory states that the infection remains highly localised, "all cases being linked to one family."
Saying that the health department was taking effective steps for managing the reported cases and has upped the surveillance in Kozhikode and its neighbouring districts, the advisory added that travelers who are extra conscious may however, avoid Kozhikode, Malappuram, Wayanad and Kannur districts.
Meanwhile, two cases of suspected Nipah virus infection were reported from Mangaluru on Wednesday. One patient is a 20-year-old woman from Kasargod, while the other is a 75-year-old man from Mangaluru.
It is suspected that the woman could have contracted the virus when she visited the Perambra hospital in Kozhikode district of Kerala where nurse Lini was undergoing treatment for Nipah virus infection. The woman had been in close contact with Lini.
However, the 75-year-old man has no history of travel.
Lini, who was treating Nipah patients at EMS Memorial Cooperative hospital at Perambra where she had been working for the past one year, passed away on Monday morning.
So far, 11 deaths have been confirmed due to Nipah virus infection. A total of 19 people with similar symptoms are undergoing treatment, while 22 have been placed under quarantine.
Kerala Health Minister KK Shyalaja said 2,000 Ribavirin tablets, anti-viral medicines, have been brought from Malaysia for treatment of patients with symptoms of the Nipah virus.
The state police on Wednesday warned of strict legal action against people spreading false information on Nipah virus through social media.
In a press release issued, Director General of Police (DGP) Loknath Behera took note of the messages circulating on social media platforms and said that such content has caused panic among the people.
A probe will be initiated against people forwarding and circulating such false messages, the DGP said.