Samples collected from a five-year-old girl, who died with suspected symptoms of Nipah in a private hospital in Kannur on Thursday, have been sent for further examination to labs in Kozhikode and Pune.
The child, a native of Chengala panchayat in Kasaragod, was admitted with high fever at a private hospital in Kannur on Wednesday morning.
However, she died by evening showed suspected symptoms of Nipah infection. Her samples were later collected and sent to the labs.
The health Department directed the family members to go into quarantine. However, there was no cause for worry, said Deputy District Medical Officer Preetha.
She said Nipah-type symptoms also appeared in those affected with meningitis. However, in this case, by the time they could test the samples to rule out the possibility of Nipah, the child died.
Since the child was in the emergency department and the staff members were following the COVID protocol, there was nothing to worry about, she said.
Meanwhile, Chengala panchayat president Khader Badaria said vaccination and public functions in the panchayat had been suspended following the incident.
Chengala PHC officials said it would take two days for the results to arrive and all programmes, including vaccination, would be suspended till then.