KOZHIKODE: A young man infected with Nipah virus (NiV) died in Kerala on Sunday taking the deaths from the deadly virus in the state to 14. Abhin, 26, of Olavanna here died at a private hospital in the afternoon. An auto driver, he contracted the virus from Kozhikode Medical College Hospital (KMCH). Six new suspected cases got admitted at the KMCH on Sunday while 12 of the 13 cases of Saturday tested negative.
Now, six patients with the symptoms are at the hospital awaiting test results. Among the NiV confirmed, two are at KMCH — one a nursing student from Kozhikode the other a Malappuram native whose wife fell to the virus a few days back. Health authorities are heaving a sigh of relief as there is a drastic fall in the number of suspected cases.
“Now, the cases are restricted to Kozhikode alone,” said district medical officer (DMO) Dr V. Jayashree. “Still, there is a possibility of new cases as the normal incubation period is 4 to 21 days. So far, only close contacts contracted the virus.” Meanwhile, a joint team of animal husbandry and health departments is trying to catch fruit bats from Soopikada in Perambra to identify the source of the virus. But intermittent rains and disappearance of the mammals are making the task tough.
