Thiruvananthapuram (Keralam) [India], June 16 (ANI): Keralam Health Minister K Muraleedharan on Tuesday said that government will succeed in preventing the spread of the Nipah virus in 2026 adding that a high-power committee has been formed to prevent viral and amoebic diseases.
Speaking to reporters, Muraleedharan said, "This month, 70 cases of Shigella were reported. A total of 146 have been reported till now. Five deaths have occured. To prevent viral and amoebic diseases, we have formed a high-power committee. The chairman is Dr SS Lal, a World Health Organisation Consultant."
State Health Minister said that government will convene a meeting weekly, get the reports and give directions to the officials.
"This committee will also research permanently preventing such diseases. This year, the government will succeed in preventing the spread of the Nipah virus. Only one person is in the hospital with a positive case out of more than 38 samples sent to the lab. He's on a ventilator," he said.
Earlier in the day, the second healthcare worker included in the primary contact list of Keralam's lone Nipah patient has tested negative for the virus, the office of the state's Health Minister said on Tuesday, providing some relief amid ongoing containment efforts in Kozhikode district.
In a statement, the Health Minister's office said, "The second test result of the healthcare worker who was in the patient's primary contact list has returned negative."
The development comes days after another healthcare worker linked to the contact list had also tested negative, providing some relief to health authorities overseeing containment efforts in the Kozhikode district. Providing an update on the condition of the patient undergoing treatment, the Health Minister's office said the patient continues to remain on ventilator support at Kozhikode Medical College Hospital. (ANI)
