Kerala: 8 member team of scientists arrive in Ernakulam to trace origin of Nipah virus

New Delhi, June 13: An 8 member team of scientists from Institute of Advanced Virology, Kerala & National Institute of Virology arrived in North Paravur, Ernakulam to collect samples from fruit eating bats to find the source of the Nipah virus.

At present, ten persons remain admitted to the isolation ward of the Ernakulam Government Medical College Hospital after three more persons were brought in with symptoms of Nipah late on Friday night. Out of these, all except one have been cleared. The result of one patient is being awaited.

Meanwhile, the health department is keeping a close watch over 52 persons who had come in contact with the Nipah-inflicted patient and were subsequently classified as high-risk category. They were among the 318 persons traced to have contact with the affected youngster. Among them 260 have been classified as low-risk category.

Those who had come into contact with the bodily fluids of the affected patient or had been with him for not less than 12 hours were considered as high risk category.