Karnataka issues guidelines amidst outbreak of Nipah virus, advises against travel to Kerala
Karnataka has heightened surveillance in bordering districts due to the Nipah virus outbreak in Kerala. The government advises against unnecessary travel to affected areas and has implemented fever surveillance checkpoints at entry points. Various measures, including public education, medical supply readiness, and sample testing, aim to prevent the virus from spreading further.
FollowIn response to the ongoing Nipah virus scare in Kerala, Karnataka has heightened its surveillance measures in bordering districts to prevent the virus from spreading further. The Karnataka government issued a circular on Thursday, advising the public to avoid unnecessary travel to affected areas in Kerala.
Under the guidance of the Siddaramaiah-led government, authorities have been instructed to intensify surveillance in districts bordering Kerala, including Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada, Chamrajanagara, and Mysore. To ensure safety, checkpoints have been set up at entry points into Karnataka.
Nipah: Karnataka government to set up surveillance units at Kerala-Karnataka border check posts
Here are the key guidelines issued by the Karnataka government:
1. Discouraging unnecessary travel from Karnataka to affected areas in Kerala.
2. Establishment of fever surveillance checkpoints at entry points from Karnataka to Kerala.
3. Intensified fever surveillance in bordering districts (Chamarajanagara, Mysore, Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada) and entry points into Karnataka.
4. Dissemination of information and education materials to the public about Nipah virus disease to prevent unnecessary panic.
5. Ensuring ample stock of essential drugs and oxygen in hospitals.
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6. Maintaining an adequate supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Viral Transport Media (VTM), and other necessary accessories for sample collection and transportation.
7. Mandating private hospitals, nursing homes, and clinics to report suspected cases to the District Health and Family Welfare Officer.
8. Collection of clinical samples from suspected cases and arranging for immediate shipment to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune as per guidelines.
The Indian Council of Medical Research's (ICMR) National Institute of Virology in Pune has sent its mobile BSL-3 laboratory to Kozhikode, Kerala, for Nipah virus sample testing. Additionally, a team of experts from the Department of Animal Husbandry has been dispatched to assist with the surveillance of animals, particularly bats, to check for the presence of the Nipah virus. This virus has tragically claimed two lives and infected three others in the Kozhikode district. In the latest development, a 24-year-old health worker in Kerala has become the fifth confirmed Nipah case since the recent outbreak.
