Nipah alert in Bengaluru; no reason to panic, says chief health officer
Bengaluru health officials have alerted the doctors and nurses regarding the Nipah scenario. Pamphlets stating the dos and don’ts have been distributed to the public.
FollowBengaluru: With 311 people under observation and a confirmed case of Nipah in Kerala, Bengaluru is on high alert now.
Karnataka health department had issued an advisory to all hospitals asking them to be alert about the Nipah scenario. They have also been advised to be on the lookout for Nipah-related symptoms.
Dr Manoranjan Hegde, chief health officer (public health), said, “As of now, we have sensitised doctors and nurses. We have given clear instructions to them regarding the Nipah virus case. We are also distributing pamphlets that clearly specifies the dos and don’ts. The pamphlets have clear instructions on them.” As of now, there is no need to panic in Bengaluru, he said.
“The outbreak is only in Kerala. In Bengaluru, we are just taking precautions. We give Information Education Communication (IEC) and that is why we have put Karnataka on alert. We have also kept a handbook in hospitals, which has information on Nipah, dengue and other diseases. We also have health desks that are active,” said Dr Nirmala Buggi, chief health officer (clinical).
The symptoms of Nipah include high fever on the first day. The affected person will also experience severe weakness during the time. People should not come in direct contact with the affected person at the time.
The Nipah panic spread after a youth in Thrissur, Kerala, was admitted to a private hospital in Ernakulam with high fever. Since his fever continued for 10 days, his blood sample was sent to a laboratory in Bengaluru. The medical lab said that the symptoms could be that of Nipah. The youth had gone for an internship programme at Keltron in Thrissur.
Last year, Nipah virus had taken 18 lives in Kozhikode in Kerala.
