Schools shut in Kerala after Nipah count increases to five
Another Nipah virus infection has been confirmed in Kerala, taking the total cases to five.
Two people have died and the other three, including a nine-year-old boy, are undergoing treatment.
A 24-year-old health worker has been infected with the Nipah virus (NiV), Kerala Health Minister Veena George said on Wednesday, adding that contact tracing has begun.
Of the 706 contacts, 77 are in the high-risk category and 153 health workers are in the low-risk category.
13 people are under observation in a hospital and are showing mild symptoms, like headache.
The nine-year-old boy’s condition is critical and he is on ventilator support at a hospital in Kozhikode, the minister said.
The state government has ordered monoclonal antibody from the Indian Council of Medical Research to treat him.
It is the only available anti-viral treatment for Nipah virus infection, though it has not been clinically proven yet, news agency PTI reported.