The government has convened an all-party meeting in Kozhikode on Friday to discuss the measures taken so far to contain the Nipah virus fever outbreak in north Kerala districts over the past one week.
Briefing reporters after the weekly Cabinet meeting here on Wednesday, Health Minister K.K. Shylaja told reporters that the meeting, being jointly convened by her and Labour Minister T.P. Ramakrishnan and Transport Minister A.K. Saseendran, would be attended by MPs and MLAs, other elected representatives and leaders of various political parties.
This would be followed by another meeting with panchayat presidents and health experts. The Cabinet reviewed the steps taken to contain the disease. The government had got in touch with the National Centre for Disease Control and the Central government immediately on learning about the viral fever outbreak and this was appreciated by the Cabinet, she said.
ADVERTISEMENT
₹10 lakh each for sons
The Minister said the Cabinet had also decided to provide employment to nurse Lini Sajeesh’s husband and ₹10 lakh each to her two children. Lini had died of viral fever caused by Nipah virus after she had cared for a Nipah victim at the Perambra taluk hospital.
Since she was working on daily wages and, as such, her kin did not have any claim to appointment under the dying-in-harness scheme. However, her husband, who was working in the Gulf, was in no position to back as he had to take care of their little children. This was why the Cabinet had decided to provide him employment.
ADVERTISEMENT
The expenses incurred by the family for her treatment would also be borne by the government. Families of others who had died due to Nipah-induced fever would also be given ₹5 lakh each.
Drug supply
The government was also taking steps to make Ribavarin tablets, which had been found to be somewhat effective in fighting Nipah virus, in sufficient quantities to check the fever outbreak.
Although fruit bats were suspected to have played a role in the disease outbreak, there should not be any attempt to destroy bat habitats. Everyone should also remain alert about the false campaigns being run by some on the social media over this, she added.