Kochi, June 6: The Kerala youth, who was tested positive for the Nipah Virus on Wednesday, has been identified as Gokul Krishna Dileep. The 21-year-old boy is currently being treated in Ernakulam after the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune confirmed that he is suffering from the deadly Nipah virus (NiV). Health Minister KK Shailaja on Thursday informed that the condition of Gokul, a resident of Ernakulam, is now stable. Shailaja added saying that three nurses who treated him, a friend and another person have been kept in isolation. Border Districts in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu Put on High Alert After Youth Tests Positive for Virus in Kerala.
The 21-year old patient is a resident of Paravur and a student at Thodupuzha, district Idukki. He had reported fever on 23 rd May 2019 while he was in Thrissur district of Kerala. Soon after, Gokul visited a physician in Thrissur but returned to his family in Ernakulum as fever was high grade and was not subsiding. The patient then consulted private hospital in Ernakulum on 25 May, 2019 and was treated with antibiotics. Nipah Virus Can Be Beaten By the Drug Used to Treat Ebola: Reports.
The private hospital then referred Gokul to another private hospital on night of 30 May, 2019 as he developed slight disorientation and gait imbalance. Samples including throat swab, CSF blood and urine were sent to National institute of Virology in Alapuzha on 2 June, 2019. Further, the samples were sent to he National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune on 3 June, 2019 for confirmation. The reports from the NIV on Wednesday confirmed the youth was tested to be Nipah positive. The patient is stable conscious and oriented at present. All 3 other family members are reported to be healthy. Nipah Virus: How Does the Infection Spread? What You Can Do to Prevent It.
It was in May that he was with 16 other classmates for a student internship in Thrissur where he had developed fever. The state government has asked people not to panic, but seek immediate medical attention if fever develops. In a bid to stop any misinformation surrounding the spread and cure of Nipah,
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, in a Facebook post on Tuesday, warned of stringent action against those who spread misinformation and urged people to follow the instructions of the health department.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 06, 2019 12:56 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).