The small crowd in front of Puthusheri House at Korathipara in Chempanoda is nothing like the usual one at a house in mourning.
The crowd mostly comprised Health Department officials who had come to collect the blood samples of all those who had been in close contact with Lini, the nurse who died on Sunday in a suspected case of Nipah viral infection.
Among them was a man who seemed quite composed despite the shadow of sadness on his face and two tiny tots, aged two and five, who were still waiting for their mother to return after night duty at the hospital.
Sajish, husband of Lini, works as an accountant in Bahrain, and he had come home on Sunday morning expecting to have a glimpse of his beloved wife. But all that he got to see was a piece of paper in which Lini had passed on her message to him. Lini’s body was cremated under official supervision at the West Hill crematorium as there were still chances of infection for those who handled it.
Sajish had treasured the letter inside his mobile phone case and retrieved it with trembling hands for the camera. “I think I am almost on my way. I may not be able to see you again. Take care of our kids. Lots of love...” the letter said.
Lini was the second of the three daughters of Nanu-Radha couple of Korathipara in Chakkittapara grama panchayat. Nanu passed away quite early. Lini was staying with her mother and children, while her two sisters, Liji and Libi, are with their in-laws.
Lini, educated in Bengaluru and with years of experience at several private hospitals, was one of the nurses who took care of Mohammed Sadik, the first victim of Nipah virus in the district. She was working as a nurse for daily wages at the taluk hospital at Perambra . “She was very much disturbed by the death of Sadik. She developed fever in a day or two after he passed away,” Sajish said.
The family has no complaints about not being able to receive Lini’s body. But the attitude of ambulance drivers at the Government Medical College, who refused to carry the body, left them in tears. “A few drivers did not want to carry the body to the crematorium even though we told them that they would not have to touch it. Finally, we had to seek police help,” a relative said.
Meanwhile, Health officials collected blood samples from those who have been in close contact with Lini, including her husband and children, to ensure that they were not infected and if infected to start the treatment at the earliest.
