Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has instructed all civil hospitals in the State to set up an isolation ward to handle a possible outbreak of Nipah virus.
Public Health Minister Deepak Sawant on Tuesday said the State dos not have any patient having symptoms similar to the kind caused by the virus. “However, we have instructed all hospitals — public and private — to keep the government informed about any patient with such symptoms. All government hospitals have been asked to have an isolation ward,” he said.
In Mumbai, Kasturba Hospital near Arthur Road will have an isolation ward. If private hospitals come across patients with Nipah symptoms, they will have to be moved to the government hospital at the earliest. The symptoms include, fever, body ache, headache, drowsiness, mental confusion, disorientation, and unconsciousness.
“Precautions need to be taken considering the ongoing holidays as many travel to Kerala. In case of anyone who has returned to Maharashtra after holidays and has such symptoms, authorities are needed to be informed immediately,” the minister said.
A high-level meeting was held at Mantralaya on Tuesday, which was attended by top health officials and secretaries to discuss the measures to prevent the outbreak.
The virus, presumed to be spread by bats, has so far claimed the lives of 11 people in Kerala.
