Union govt lauds Kerala's efforts to control Nipah outbreak

Thiruvananthapuram: The union government lauded the Kerala Health Department’s efforts to contain the outbreak of Nipah virus infection in Kozhikode district and the precautionary measures taken to arrest the spread of the disease to other areas, said a media release issued by the department on Saturday.

According to the release, the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) director in a letter sent to the state government lauded the latter's efforts. The state was successful in limiting the Nipah’s impact on public health, it said quoting the letter. 

Health minister Veena George in the wake of the outbreak camped in the district to coordinate health, police, forest, and animal husbandry department departments, district administration, and Kozhikode Corporation, the release noted. It also mentioned about the cohesive action of Minister Mohammed Riyas, other ministers, legislators, chief secretary, district collector, leaders of political outfits, people representatives, and officials.

A total of six cases of Nipah virus infection were reported in Kerala’s Kozhikode district of which two persons died.