JOIN USDHO Dr R Venkatesh said that all precautionary measures have been taken against Nipah in the district. No symptomatic cases have been reported in the district so far.
Following the Nipah outbreak in Kerala, an alert has been issued in Kodagu. Nipah is a zoonotic virus that spreads from animals to humans and is also transmitted directly between people.
The symptoms include acute respiratory illness and fatal encephalitis, besides fever, headache, cough and throat pain.
The symptoms appear within four to 18 days of infection. If people suffer from any of the symptoms, then they should visit the nearest hospital for getting themselves tested.
As a precautionary measure, five beds in Ashwini Hospital and two beds in taluk hospitals have been reserved.
The DHO said that the Covid positivity rate in the district is below 2%. The rate is likely to come down further in the next week.
On average 3,500 to 4,000 samples are tested daily in the district for Covid-19, he added.
District vaccination officer Dr Gopinath and others were present.