Kochi: 5 more test negative

Kochi: Five suspects have tested negative for Nipah virus even as the health condition of the 23-year old patient improved considerably on Tuesday.

The authorities, though, continued to be on a high alert despite the situation firmly under control as they collected samples from ten more suspected persons for laboratory testing.

Also, an Alappuzha native, among the 329 people included in the contact tracing list and under house quarantine, was admitted to the isolation ward of the Alappuzha Medical College after he exhibited symptoms.

Earlier, samples of all seven admitted to the Kalamassery Medical College had tested negative for the dreaded virus and their health condition is stable.

“The health condition of 23-year old North Paravur native, who is under treatment at a private hospital in Kochi after getting contracted with the Nipah virus infection, improved considerably. He has no fever for the last 48 hours and is self-sufficient,” said a senior health official. “One of the three samples of the youth had turned weakly positive’ for the disease upon laboratory test on Sunday. We’ll again send his samples for testing on Wednesday. He’ll be under high care till all samples tested negative for the disease,” she said.

Meanwhile, the six-member team from Pune National Institute of Virology continued attempts to find the source of the virus. The Ernakulam district health department also continued disease prevention awareness at various places on Tuesday.