The Nipah virus claimed two more lives on Wednesday taking the death toll in Kerala to 16. Madhusudhanan, 55, a senior superintendent at Kozhikode district court and Akhil, 28, a native of Karassery in Kozhikode were identified as the two patients who succumbed.
Kozhikode District Medical Officer Dr Jayashree confirmed the deaths.
Madhusudan had contracted the virus from Kozhikode Medical College Hospital (KMCH) and died at a private hospital in the city.
Two confirmed patients are undergoing treatment at KMCH, while two people suspected to have contracted the virus have been admitted to the same hospital. The total number of suspected cases stands at nine.
Over 1,000 people who were in touch with the affected before the confirmation of the disease, are under observation.
Stating that the condition of the affected persons remains unchanged, Director of Health Services Dr RL Saritha said, "The medicine from Australia, M 102.4 human monoclonal antibody, will reach here (Kozhikode) in two days and it would be given to the patients as per the treatment protocol.”
Meanwhile, a soldier died in Kolkata of suspected Nipah virus infection, a Defence spokesman said on Wednesday.
Seenu Prasad, who hails from Kerala and posted at the Eastern Command headquarters Fort William, was admitted to the Command Hospital in Kolkata on May 20 and passed away on May 25, the spokesman said.
Prasad had been on a month's leave to Kerala before rejoining duty on May 13.
His body fluids have been sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune which is the only agency in the country to certify whether it was a case of Nipah virus or not.
"Till such time the report from the NIV in Pune is received, it cannot be confirmed whether it was a case of Nipah virus or not," the spokesman said.
(With IANS inputs)