Kerala teen who died of Nipah ate fruit from a bat-infested locality: Minister
State health minister Veena George said that the boy ate a hog plum fruit, locally known as ambazhanga, from his neighbourhood a few days before he got a fever.
The Kerala Health Department on Monday confirmed that the 14-year-old boy who had succumbed to death after a Nipah infection in Malappuram, Kerala had consumed a fruit from his bat-infested neighbourhood.
ALSO READ | Centre advises 4 immediate measures after Kerala boy infected with Nipah virus dies
Kerala health minister Veena George said that the boy ate a hog plum fruit, locally known as ambazhanga, from his neighbourhood a few days before he developed a fever.
Minister George has also said that a team of experts from the National Virology Institute-Pune will reach Malappuram on Monday to study the zoonotic bats in the region.
On Monday, the minister announced that the contact list of the 14-year-old boy who lost his life to the rare infection has been increased to 350, out of which 101 are in the high-risk category, reported PTI.
The health department is waiting for the test of 13 people, whose samples were sent to the Kozhikode Medical College virology laboratory and the Advanced Virology Institute at Thiruvananthapuram.
Despite being asymptomatic, the samples of the boy's parents were sent for testing as a precautionary measure with six people out of the 13 samples sent for testing having symptoms and three of them are on the secondary contact list, said the Health minister.
Based on the teen's movements, a route map has been released by the health department. They have also asked people who are suspected to have been in contact with the boy to come forward and seek treatment. Indian Council of Medical Research has already reached Kerala and a total of 224 fever surveillance teams have been deployed, according to the Health minister
ALSO READ | Kerala: 14-year-old dies of Nipah virus in Kozhikode
“As of now, that locality is the primary source of infection, but it can be confirmed only after scientific examination. A team from the NIV, led by Dr Balasubramanyam will reach Kerala today (Monday) to observe the bats and their habitat in the areas,” George said.
Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan had warned the citizens against consuming half-bitten fruits by animals and drinking nectar found in plantain flowers. CM has asked people to wash their hands with soap or use sanitiser if they come in contact with bats or their excreta or have been bitten by them.
Nipah outbreaks have been reported in the state in 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2023.
With inputs from PTI
