Nipah virus deaths: Kerala govt announces containment zones; here’s what’s open, what’s not

Nipah virus guidelines: The Kerala government on Wednesday announced a set of guidelines after several cases of the Nipah virus were reported from the southern state. As per these guidelines, seven village panchayats in Kerala’s Kozhikode, where two people succumbed to the Nipah virus, were declared as containment zones. Entry and exit has been restricted to all the seven villages classified as containment zones.

The areas identified as containment zones are Atanchery, Maruthonkara, Tiruvallur, Kuttiyadi, Villyapalli and Kavilumpara, according to Kozhikode District Collector A Geetha. She also said that the local polioce has been asked to cordon off the affected areas. In containment zones, people should wear masks, use alcohol-based hand sanitisers and maintain social distancing.

People travelling via National Highway and State Highways as well as buses running on this route cannot stop anywhere in the containment zones. The state government announced these guidelines after four Nipah cases were confirmed in Kozhikode including a nine-year-old boy.  

Only medical shops and outlets selling essentials including food items are allowed to open in the state till further notice. Shops selling essential items are allowed to remain open from 07:00 am to 05:00 pm while there is no time limit for medical shops and other health centres, according to the guidelines.

Authorities have also shut down schools and offices in the affected areas. Kerala Education Minister V Sivankutty has directed Public Education Director to organise online classes for students of all schools in areas classified as containment zones.

Local self-government institutions and village offices have also been directed to operate with the minimum staff. Banks, other government or quasi-government institutions, educational institutions and anganwadis will be shut.

Nipah virus in Kerala update

Two people have died due to the Nipah virus whereas two others have been infected in Kerala’s Kozhikode district so far, according to the state government. The first death due to Nipah virus took place on August 30 whereas the second death took place on September 11. The first man who died was 44 years old whereas the second person was aged 40 years at the time of his death.

After Nipah virus deaths were confirmed in Kozhikode, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also urged people to not panic and to take the necessary precautions.

"Nipah virus infection has been confirmed in Kozhikode district. Two people died due to infections. Of the four people whose saliva was sent for testing, two were Nipah positive and two were Nipah negative," Chief Minister Vijayan said in a Facebook post.

"Everyone should strictly follow the instructions of the health department and the police and fully cooperate with the restrictions," he further said. Kerala health minister Veena George said that there are two active cases in Kozhikode as of Tuesday. These include a nine-year-old boy and a 24-year-old relative of one of the deceased.

Also Read: Nipah virus in Kerala: Two others, including 9-yr-old boy, test positive after 2 deaths; Central team rushed in

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