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2 more suspected Nipah cases in Bengal; doc, nurse shifted to Kolkata hospital
The two had come in contact with the nurse, who tested positive for Nipah virus at Burdwan Medical College and Hospital, during her treatment
KOLKATA: A junior doctor and a nurse have been admitted to Kolkata’s Infectious Diseases and Beliaghata General (ID&BG) Hospital after they developed early symptoms of Nipah virus infection, a state health department official said on Wednesday.
“A junior doctor and a nurse from Burdwan Medical College and Hospital have been admitted to the ID&BG Hospital since Tuesday,” said a senior official of the state health department.
The two were among those engaged in the treatment of a nurse who tested positive for Nipah virus at Burdwan Medical College and Hospital.
Two nurses have tested positive for the virus in West Bengal and are undergoing treatment at a private hospital at Barasat in North 24 Parganas. Their condition is said to be critical. While one is a resident of Katwa in East Burdwan, another is a resident of Moyna in East Midnapore.
According to health department officials, the nurse from East Burdwan, was initially admitted to the Burdwan Medical College and Hospital before being shifted to the private hospital in Barasat.
Around 38 medical staffers at the Burdwan hospital, who had come in contact with the nurse from Katwa during her threatment in the hospital, have already been told to stay in isolation at home.
The junior doctor and the nurse had developed early symptoms such as cough and cold and were shifted to the ID&BG Hospital. “They have been kept in isolation. Their samples, including blood and nasopharyngeal swabs have been collected and sent to the lab for tests,” said another official.
Nipah virus is commonly found in fruit bats, and the mortality rate for the disease is 70%.
