Kozhikode: With 29 suspected Nipah cases, the scare has hit seven districts in the state and the death toll touched 12 on Thursday. The suspected cases are: Kozhikode-11, Malappuram-9, Ernakulam-4, Thiruvananthapuram-1, Kottayam-2, Thrissur-1 and Wayanad-1, according to health department statistics. Among the 14 confirmed cases, 12 patients have already died, including nine in Kozhikode and three in Malappuram.
The last victim was Valachuketty Moosa, 62, of Panthirikara, Perambra, who died at a private hospital here in the wee hours of Thursday, the fifth day of the virus outbreak. Moosa’s sons, Sabith, 26, and Salih, 23, died a few days back.
Moosa had been battling for life with ventilator support for a few days. Among the suspected cases, the sample of a nursing student has turned out to be positive.
Malappuram native Umesh has been confirmed with NiV infection. According to DMO Dr V. Jayashree, all the patients contracted the virus either from KMCH or Perambra hospital. The authorities are waiting for the report of bat sample from Bhopal National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) on Friday to ascertain the origin of the virus. But the sample that was sent was that of an insectivorous bat and if that is negative, the result of bat fruit should be received. If bat is not the origin of the virus as it is widely believed, it would be difficult to figure out the route of the NiV arrival in the state.
