Don’t Heed to WhatsApp Messages, No Nipah Cases in Mangaluru – DC Senthil
Mangaluru: Deputy Commissioner Sasikanth Senthil called a press meet at his office on May 24, to dispel rumours being circulated in the social media about Nipah cases in Dakshina Kannada.
Speaking to the mediapersons , Senthil said that there have been rumours that 2 cases of Nipah virus were found in Mangaluru. “This is far from the truth. A student who came from Calicutt, out of her own curiosity, asked her doctor to do the test. So the doctor sent her samples to Manipal and this morning, we have received the report which states that the result is negative,” said Senthil.
The DC further said, “In Mangaluru, no cases of Nipah virus have been reported. I urge the people of Dakshina Kannada to not panic or believe in any WhatsApp or Facebook messages that say otherwise. I have instructed all the hospitals to inform us of any Nipah case in Mangaluru. Whatever rumours are being spread about Nipah are far from the truth; in Dakshina Kannada, no cases of Nipah virus have been found.”
Nipah virus is predominately transmitted from animals to humans. The DC said that there were two suspect cases which were being monitored. “There is a PCR test for which we had sent the samples to Manipal and today we received the report which is negative. Patients are comfortable and they do not have any symptoms of the Nipah Virus. People should understand about the diseases. The only remedy is knowledge about Nipah Virus,” he added.
DC Senthil also said that the underlining fact is that the Nipah Virus does not spread through the air like the H1N1. There is no chance of transmission through the air until and unless you come in very close contact with the victim. There were two cases in Kozhikode and the government of Kerala has taken all the necessary measures and the victims were isolated according to the protocol. Giving advice on the precautions that people need to take, Senthil said, “We need to understand the precautions in such cases. We all know where we are travelling and with whom we are communicating. In Kerala, this virus was transmitted from animals to people. The fruit bat is the common carrier of this virus. Where people consume date palm toddy, there are chances of being infected by the Nipah Virus. We advice people to stay away from drinking toddy and also to not eat half-eaten fruits.”
DC also urged the citizens of Mangaluru to follow the basics of hygiene like washing fruits before eating, washing hands before consuming food, etc. and to also understand the transmission process of the Nipah virus. “We are thinking of restricting the consumption of toddy. Don’t rush to the hospital in a panic situation. If you go to a hospital, the probability of catching some other diseases is much higher. Nipah virus signs and symptoms are fever, headache, myalgia, convulsion, drowsiness, disorientation and coma.”
Do’s
- Isolate sick livestock such as pigs, horse, dog and cat as they act as an intermediate host
- Suspected human cases to be isolated
- Wash used items of patients with soap and water separately
- Avoid handshake and wash hands properly after contacting infected people
- Wear mask and gloves while tending to patients
- Visit the nearest Health centre for any flu-like illness
- Call 104 for assistance
Don’ts
- Do not eat fruits that may have been bitten by birds and animals
- Do not drink Toddy / Neera collected from areas where bats are found in large numbers
- Precautionary measures to be taken when visiting infected areas
- Avoid direct contact of secretion and excretion of sick humans and animals
DHO Ramakrishna and Dr Rajesh were also present.
