Kerala CM remembers nurse who died battling Nipah; lauds health workers for efforts to contain COVID-19

Amid the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Thursday lauded health workers for their selfless service and paid tributes to a nurse who lost her life in the line of duty during the deadly Nipah outbreak of 2018.

Lini Puthussery died after contracting Nipah from a patient she took care of at a Perambra hospital in Kozhikode district in 2018.

Nipah had claimed 17 lives in the state.

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"Today, we remember sister Lini, the brave nurse who lost her life in the line of duty during the Nipah outbreak of 2018.

The selfless service of people like her form a protective shield over humanity. Lest we forget them," Vijayan tweeted.

The Chief Minister said the state was remembering Lini at a time when the world was fighting another deadly virus, COVID-19 and thousands of health workers like her are the strength of Kerala in this struggle.

"The care given by the nurses to the patients and the vigil taken by them to contain the spread of the virus plays a vital role in keeping our country safer.

Nurses from Kerala is at the forefront of the battle against COVID-19 across the world," Vijayan said in a Facebook post.

He said it gives courage and hope to hear news that health workers who contracted the virus were cured and have reported back for work.