Two healthcare workers symptomatic for Nipah virus in Kerala, over 180 in contact list

About 20 were in the high-risk group owing to primary contact, and two of them were showing symptoms

As many as 188 persons were so far found to be in the contact list of the 12-year-old boy who died of Nipah virus at Kozhikode in Kerala on Sunday.

Among them, 20 were in the high-risk group owing to primary contact, and two of them were showing symptoms, Kerala Health Minister Veena George said.

Among others in the contact list, around 130 were reportedly health workers. The two symptomatic persons are also healthcare workers.

Following allegations that the Kozhikode Medical College authorities did not subject the child to a Nipah virus test despite being admitted with brain fever symptoms, the health minister said that she would look into it.

The child was initially taken to a private clinic and then later to the medical college hospital. On September 1, he was shifted to a private hospital in the city.

The boy tested positive for the Nipah virus by Saturday evening and the discussions were going on to admit him to medical college when he died by Sunday morning.

The health minister said that all the 20 in the high-risk group were being shifted to a special ward opened at Kozhikode medical college. a three-kilometre radius around the house of the deceased child at Chathamangalam was made a containment zone. Testing facility for Nipah was also being set up in the district.