The non-resident Keralite from Malappuram who had been quarantined at a private hospital in Thrissur since November 29 following a suspicion of Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) has tested negative for the infection.
The man, working in a butchery in the UAE, had tested positive for CCHF on November 16 and had been treated with antiviral drug ribavirin in a UAE hospital. He had landed in the Kochi airport and was going to Malappuram when he fell ill and got himself admitted to a private hospital in Thrissur.
His treatment records, with the mention of CCHF, had given anxious moments to the district health administration as the disease is highly contagious, with a 40% mortality rate. Also, there were no lab records which showed him to be negative for CCHF after the ribavirin course.
He was quarantined and stricter infection control protocols put in place in the hospital and the blood and semen samples had been sent to the National Institute of Virology and the Manipal Virus Research Centre.
“Both blood and semen samples have tested negative for CCHF and hence he is fit for discharge. The district health administration officials will be visiting him at the hospital on Thursday morning prior to his discharge,” a senior health official said.
