Nipah patient's condition unchanged; Medical board meeting soon, 100 under observation

Kozhikode: The condition of the 43-year-old man undergoing treatment at the Medical College after testing positive for Nipah virus remains unchanged. The Farook College native continues to be on ventilator support in the ICU. He is receiving all medications prescribed under the treatment protocol. After 48 hours, the medical board will reassess his condition and decide on administering a second dose of monoclonal antibody treatment.

Four more people from the contact list were admitted to hospital for observation on Saturday. At present, seven with symptoms are under observation at the Medical College. Test results of three people from the contact list came back negative on Saturday. They had been admitted for observation.

The patient's wife, son, and sister—who were among his closest contacts—also tested negative. Their tests were conducted at the Medical College. Two friends who had been in contact with the patient have been admitted to hospital with mild symptoms. Although they are currently asymptomatic, their samples, along with that of a laboratory technician, have been sent for testing. A 9-year-old child who had visited Red Crescent Hospital while the patient was there has also been admitted with mild fever and cough.

13 more people have been added to the contact list, all of whom fall under the low-risk category. With this addition, the total number of people under monitoring has risen to 100, including four in the very high-risk category, 14 in the high-risk category, and 82 in the low-risk category.