With Nipah virus infection being confirmed in one person in Kochi, authorities in the district have stepped up measures to prevent the spread of the disease.
District Surveillance Officer S. Sreedevi on Tuesday led an awareness and training class on Nipah virus transmission, surveillance and prevention for doctors and healthcare workers in the Vadakkekkara panchayat and primary health centres under the Ezhikkara block panchayat. District RCH officer Sheeja N.A. led a medical team to meet people’s representatives in Vadakekkara panchayat and provided details about the preventive measures in place.
A control room functioning under the District Collector has asked the Animal Husbandry Department to prepare a report on unnatural deaths of animals over the last three weeks. Animal farms have to be monitored and provided a safety cover against bats.
The Forest Department has been urged to intensify surveillance. The Labour Department has been asked to strengthen surveillance in migrant workers’ camps and to initiate awareness programmes among the workers in their mother tongue.
The district Health authorities have charted out a training programme for all employees in government departments. They will be made aware of the preventive steps to be taken while handling people reporting with fever.
U.V. Jose, who was the Kozhikode District Collector during the Nipah outbreak in the district last year, Kozhikode Corporation Health Officer R.S. Gopakumar, and National Health Mission Kozhikode district programme manager Naveen provided guidance to control room activities.
Doctors Tarun, Arathi and Hari from the National Institute of Epidemiology, Chennai, and a seven-member team led by Ruchi Jain from the Union Health Ministry held discussions with Health Minister K.K. Shylaja and Principal Secretary (Health) Rajan Khobragade on preventive activities.
