In the wake of Nipah virus outbreak in Kerala, the Karnataka government Wednesday directed officials of Dakshina Kannada and districts bordering the neighbouring state to strengthen fever surveillance. The government said that those with fever, who have a travel history to Kozhikode and have come in direct contact with a person who tested positive for Nipah, should be considered as potentially vulnerable to the infection. District health officer, Dakshina Kannada, Dr Sudarshan said an isolation ward has been set up at Wenlock Hospital in Mangaluru. “All the private and medical college hospitals have been asked to inform district surveillance officers if they come across any symptomatic cases. The medical colleges have been instructed to set up isolation wards,” he said. He further stated that all cases of fever will not be treated as Nipah. “The samples of those patients suffering from Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) with high fever and seizures will be sent to the National Institute of Virology lab in Pune,” Sudarshan said. State health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has directed health officials to take measures against the spread of the virus and treatment of the infected. “Officials have been instructed to make sure that all districts, taluks and medical college hospitals keep a stock of medicines, oxygen and other essential items required to treat Nipah affected patients. The officials should also ensure that samples (throat swab, urine, blood) of suspected cases are sent to the National Institute of Virology lab in Pune,” the minister said.
