Nipah: 12 die in Kerala, 10 deaths confirmed to be from Nipah

Twelve persons have so far lost their lives in Kerala since the outbreak of Nipah a fortnight ago in the northern kerala districts of Kozhikode and Malappuram, with 10 of them testing positive for the virus.

Health department sources said two persons suspected to have contracted the virus have died, but it was yet to be confirmed if these were due to Nipah.

The condition of Moosa, whose two sons had died earlier, is very critical and he was on ventilator support, while another person, undergoing treatment for nipha, was responding to treatment as of now, the sources told PTI.

A total of 116 persons, who had come in contact with some of the infected persons, have been put under quarantine-- 94 in their homes and 22 in various hospitals, the sources said.

A 21-year-old student hailing from Malappuram, who had gone to his hometown Kozhikode recently, is under observation at Thiruvananthapuram Medical college hospital.

One person is under observation in Waynad.

Kerala Health minister K K Shylaja had told reporters earlier in the day that 10 deaths were due to nipha virus.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has been informed about the outbreak of the virus in Kerala, she said.

Union Health Minister J P Nadda said the Centre was committed to extend all support to the state to tackle the problem.

Two persons who had tested positive had died today. Twenty eight-year-old nurse Lini, who passed away yesterday, had also contracted the virus, the minister added.

Of 18 samples sent for testing, 12 tested positive for the virus, of which 10 people died, she said.

Seven deaths were reported from Kozhikode and three from Malappuram districts.

Shylaja said the Union Health minister, who is in Geneva, had called her and enquired about the situation in the state and promised all help from the central government.

An expert team from National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), including its director, Dr Sujeet Kumar Singh and Head of Epidemiology, Dr S K Jain, are already in Kerala.

A high-level team from All India Insitute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, visited Kozhikode Medical college today and gave doctors a protocol to be followed, the minister said.

Surveillance has been increased in all districts, she added.