As a precautionary measure, fever surveillance in the border area check-posts in Mysuru, Dakshina Kannada, Chamarajanagar and Kodagu districts will continue till October 7, though no fresh cases of Nipah have been reported and four persons reported positive for the infection are recovering in Kozhikode district of Kerala, said Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao in Mangaluru on Wednesday.
Talking to reporters after a meeting in Mangaluru with health officers and disease surveillance officers of the four districts and State surveillance officers to review precautionary measures, Mr. Rao said the four tested positive for Nipah from Kozhikode district, were recovering. There are no fresh cases from Kerala while the government has taken strict containment measures.
The Minister said there is no Nipah case in Karnataka so far. The last reported positive case in Kerala was on September 15. With the incubation period of 21 days ending on October 6, field staff will continue fever surveillance in border areas till October 7, he said.
Nearly 6,500 people have been screened at four check-posts bordering Kozhikode in Mysuru district while 2,044 have been scanned in 12 border check-posts of Dakshina Kannada district, 1,600 in Chamarajanagar and 1,132 persons in Kodagu district.
Asking people not to panic, the Minister said those with viral infection should visit the nearest health centre for necessary symptomatic treatment. No throat swab from Karnataka is so far sent to National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune for testing.
During the meeting, State and district health officials said all the healthcare personnel and educational institutions have been made aware of Nipah and the need to get tests of those who have travel history to Kozhikode. “Though Karnataka is at low risk of Nipah spread, we have taken necessary precautions,” State Surveillance Unit Deputy Director M.R. Padma told the Minister. Joint Director M.G. Triveni said she is in regular touch with Sabina, the head of Kerala State Surveillance.
Health officers and disease surveillance officers from Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, Dakshina Kannada and Kodagu participated in the meeting. Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner M.P. Mullai Muhilan, Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer K. Anandh and Mysuru Divisional Joint Director of Health and Family Welfare Rajeshwari Devi also attended the meeting.
