Nipah Virus: Schools, and colleges to remain closed in Kozhikode till September 16

The Kozhikode district administrator on Thursday extended holidays in schools and colleges till September 16 in the wake of the Nipah virus outbreak. This follows the previously declared two-day holiday for September 14 and 15.

The Kozhikode District Collector, A Geetha, said, "All tuition centres and coaching centres in the district should not function on these days. Educational institutes can arrange online classes. These days should not be an occasion for celebrations. Avoid unnecessary travel and gatherings. Caution is prevention"

After the announcement, all educational institutions, including Anganwadis, Madrasas, tuition centers, and professional colleges will be closed until September 16.


However, the schedules for university and PSC exams remain unchanged.


Earlier, amid rising concerns over the return of the Nipah virus in Kerala, the state government strengthened measures to prevent the spread of the infection a day after two deaths from the same were confirmed in Kozhikode district.

Kerala Health Minister V George said that 13 people who are on the contact list are admitted to the medical college and their health condition is stable.

Health Minister Veena George while addressing a press conference on Wednesday, said, "So far, three samples have tested Nipah positive. We have started contact tracing. Of 706 contacts, 77 are in the high-risk category, 153 health workers are in the low-risk category,"

The ICMR's National Institute of Virology in Pune on Thursday sent its mobile BSL-3 laboratory to Kozhikode in Kerala to test samples for Nipah virus in the district itself after five cases, including two deaths, were reported there.

So far, the samples were being sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune. The mobile laboratory was set up in February last year to investigate newly emerging and reemerging viral infections that are highly infectious and of lethal potential to human beings. Union Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar visited the ICMR's National Institute of Virology in Pune and held a review meeting in view of the Nipah virus cases reported in Kozhikode.

A team of experts from the Department of Animal Husbandry has also been deployed to assist the state in the surveillance of animals, official sources told PTI.

A five-member central team comprising experts from the National Centre for Disease Control, RML Hospital and NIMHANS has been stationed in Kerala to take stock of the situation and assist the state government in the management of the Nipah virus infection.

The Kerala government on Thursday said there was no need to be apprehensive about the Nipah outbreak in Kozhikode district but caution needs to be exercised by people as they go about their daily activities.

(inputs from PTI)