Kerala is battling the deadly Nipah virus and at the forefront of this battle is Dr G Arunkumar, who was instrumental in diagnosing the second patient infected by the virus that has claimed at least 10 lives so far.
As panic spreads, Arunkumar assuaged fears claiming that early detection of a person infected with the Nipah virus would provide better chances of containing it. A resident of Karnataka, the doctor heads the Manipal Centre for Virus Research (MCVR). He is currently working in Kozhikode, which is the epicentre of the deadly Nipah virus and is also facilitating communication between the medical fraternity and the state government, The Times of India reported.
Speaking to the daily, he said,”The infection began with one person in a house in Kozhikode and spread among the family members. The other cases occurred in the hospital where the family was treated. Now, all precautions have been taken to prevent further hospital-based infections. These efforts have been replicated in the community too.”
Courtesy: PTI
He also revealed that the virus could have been detected immediately had the first patient not died before the test, which requires a sample of bodily fluids such as a throat swab, blood, urine and cerebral spinal fluid is needed to conduct a test.
However, this was obtained from the second patient and sent to the Manipal lab. The results were out in less than 12 hours after the samples were received. Once the samples tested positive for Nipah, the medical community was immediately pressed into high alert.
He also said currently there are only two labs in the country that are equipped with the biosafety level -3, required handle a rare and highly infectious virus-like Nipah.
On Monday, a Kerala nurse fell victim to the deadly Nipah virus while taking care of one of the first infected patients. Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has also been informed about the outbreak of the virus in Kerala.
An expert team from the National Centre for Disease -Control (NCDC), including its director, Dr Sujeet Kumar Singh and Head of Epidemiology, Dr S K Jain, are already in Kerala. A high-level team from AIMS has also reached the state, DNA reported.
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