BS RAWAT
NEW DELHI : Following confirmation of a case of Nipah Virus in Kerala, a six-member central team has been dispatched by Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan to tackle the outbreak.

A Control Room has been established and NCDC Strategic Health Operations Center activated. The phone number of the control room is 011-23978046.

Earlier, Dr Harsh Vardhan took stock of the situation in Kerala and assured all possible support to the state.

Dr Harsh Vardhan told DTMT that he spoke to the Kerala Health Minister and assured all possible support from the Centre. Dr Vardhan said he reviewed the public health measures for Nipah virus.

Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja said that the results of blood samples of a college student, which were tested at the National Institute of Virology in Pune, have confirmed Nipah. The student has been admitted to a hospital in Kochi, Shailaja added.

The Minister said, the condition of the patient is stable and he was not put under ventilator or other support system. Shailaja said, 86 people in the state who have interacted with the student were under medical observation.

The Minister urged people of Kerala not to panic and said that the situation is being monitored by the government. The health department of Kerala Government is on standby to handle any adverse situation. The Kerala government has also stocked up necessary medicines while isolation wards are set up in main centres.

The Nipah virus is transmitted from animals to humans and spreads through contact. The disease is associated with fatal encephalitis and respiratory illness. There is no known vaccine against the Nipah virus.