Nipah scare in Bengal: 3 more found infected, nearly 100 quarantined after contact tracing

Three extra people, together with a physician, a nurse, and a well being employees member, have examined optimistic for the Nipah virus in West Bengal, bringing the entire variety of lively circumstances within the state to 5.

The preliminary two sufferers, a male nurse from Purba Medinipur and a feminine nurse from Mongolkot in Purba Bardhaman who had been employed at a non-public hospital in Barasat, stay in intensive care.

Of the three new infections, one is a physician on the similar Barasat hospital, whereas the others are a nurse and a employees member from the Katwa subdivisional hospital who had contact with the contaminated feminine nurse. These three sufferers have been moved to the infectious ailments hospital in Beleghata for therapy.

Because the first two circumstances had been confirmed on Monday, the West Bengal authorities has positioned about 100 folks in dwelling quarantine. Well being Secretary Narayan Swarup Nigam advised The Indian Specific, “We’re taking all measures attainable and following protocols. There isn’t a must panic.”

Amongst these in quarantine, roughly 30 are being monitored with further care. A senior well being division physician defined, “These embrace members of the family of the sufferers, medical doctors, nurses, drivers, and others who’ve come into contact with the sufferers. We have now requested them to enter dwelling quarantine for 14 to 21 days. We’re conserving a watch on them.”

In regards to the new circumstances

Well being officers are presently gathering particulars from Nadia, Purba Bardhaman, and North 24 Parganas to determine anybody else who could have been uncovered. Blood samples from those that had contact with the primary two nurses have been despatched to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Kalyani for testing.

In accordance with a relative, the feminine nurse had been feeling unwell since December 25 however continued working in Barasat till December 30. She returned dwelling on January 2 with a excessive fever and fainted that evening, resulting in her being taken to Katwa subdivisional hospital earlier than finally being transferred again to the non-public hospital in Barasat.

The well being division has recognized a minimum of 60 folks from Purba Bardhaman, together with medical employees and ambulance drivers from the Katwa hospital, who had contact along with her. Her journey historical past exhibits she attended a household marriage ceremony in Nadia on December 15 and 17 and visited a number of areas, together with Santiniketan, earlier than falling unwell.

The contaminated male nurse had labored evening shifts along with her on December 20 and 21. To handle the state of affairs, a devoted ward has been arrange on the Beliaghata infectious illness hospital. A well being official acknowledged, “We’re additionally following numerous protocols, and all hospitals have been knowledgeable to stay vigilant for such circumstances. If any hospital encounters a affected person with Nipah virus signs, they need to switch them instantly to the hospital.”