After a 23-year-old man tested positive for the Nipah virus in neighbouring state Kerala a few days ago, Tamil Nadu is actively putting precautionary measures in place to address the threat of the viral infection.
According to reports, isolation wards are being set up in major district hospitals across the state. While the Coimbatore Government Hospital has already set up a special Nipah ward, the Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai becomes the latest to join the list of government health facilities with a dedicated Nipah ward.
The isolation ward in Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai has 33 beds with Intensive Care Unit facilities put in place to monitor and address anybody who presents themselves with the symptoms related to the Nipah virus.
Dean of Government Rajaji Hospital, Dr K Vanitha told New Indian Express that personal protection equipment is ready and treatment for Nipah involves supportive care to treat severe respiratory and neurological complications.
Kanyakumari, Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Dindigul, Tirunelveli and Theni districts were placed on high alert by the state government after a 23-year-old man was confirmed to have contracted the virus in Kerala.
The officials from Tamil Nadu Health Department engaged in vehicle checks in the border regions to screen commuters for symptoms of Nipah from Thursday. Buses were stopped at checkpoints in the districts bordering Tamil Nadu and Kerala and each passenger was examined by a team of medical officials. If anybody is suspected to have the virus, they will be subjected to more tests and will not be allowed to enter Tamil Nadu until they are cleared as safe by the Health department officials.
Tamil Nadu Health Secretary Dr Beela Rajesh told TNM on Thursday that the checks were just safety protocol and that there was no need for panic in the state.
Nipah virus, relatively unheard of until May 2018, killed 17 people in Kerala after it broke out. While there is no known cure or vaccine for the virus, treatment involves administering medicines to people based on the symptoms they present with.