Kerala tackling nCoV with experience drawn from fighting Nipah

Faced with challenges posed by vel Coronavirus (nCoV), Kerala government is banking on its experience gleaned from fighting dely Nipah outbreak in 2018 and 2019 to effectively tackle current situation. Activating its officials, doctors and field staff to face challenge much before state's first Coronavirus case was reported from Thrissur last week, state health department has put all persons who have returned from nCoV-hit China under its surveillance since January 15.

"If you are a person with travel history to China and returned from that country after January 15, you will be put under rar of district surveillance team," Dr S Sreedevi, ditional DMO Ernakulam and district surveillance officer, told PTI. According to her, those who returned from coronavirus-hit regions are given instructions through phone on need to remain in home quarantine for 28 days for safety of his/her family members.

Details of people who have travel history to China are taken from airports. Information about home quarantined persons are updated to district health officials by field staff.

"If that person is found t following guidelines for coronavirus, he will get a call from top district medical officers urging him t to mingle with anyone," medical officer said. According to her, in most cases people obey instructions of health officials as y are aware of threat posed by disease.

"Our experience in tackling Nipah virus in 2018 and 2019 help us in dealing with nCoV cases," medical officer said. Kerala government declared vel coronavirus as a "state specific disaster" on Monday as three students who returned from China's Wuhan province, epicentre of epidemic, tested positive for infection in last few days.

state Health minister K K Shailaja has said state health department is rey to face vel coronavirus challenge drawing on its experience in overcoming Nipah virus outbreak in 2018 and 2019. In line with steps taken to tackle Nipah virus outbreak, a state control room in Thiruvananthapuram and district control rooms at all district hequarters were set up much before first coronavirus case was reported.

A meeting of top health officials and doctors, chaired by Principal Secretary, Health, is held everyday to coordinate action to prevent spre of virus. All important meetings are attended by health minister.

Monitoring of those who are home quarantined are done by primary health centres with help of local bodies. Out Patient wings for attending to coronavirus cases have been me operational in all government general hospitals and medical colleges in state.

Isolation wards have also been set up in such hospitals and supply of necessary medical equipment needed for health workers also ensured. All se steps were taken drawing on experience of battling Nipah virus outbreak in state in May 2018, which was reported in rth Kerala districts of Kozhikode and Malappuram.

As many as 2,000 people were quarantined and kept under observation during period of outbreak which h claimed 16 lives, officials recalled. government declared it contained on June 10, 2018.

But when Nipah case was reported in state last year, government was very well prepared to tackle it, by keeping its surveillance high and taking precautions, officials said. second spell of Nipah outbreak was in Ernakulam last year and it was contained successfully.

state's lone patient, a 23-year-old student affected with virus, was discharged after 53 days of seclusion, close monitoring and treatment at a private hospital here in July last year. Improved healthcare facilities and awareness among people in state enabled government to contain disease, y ded.

government is using mainstream media and social media to spre awareness among people about threat posed by coronavirus in thickly populated state. In a Facebook post, Shailaja on Tuesday urged those who have come from coronavirus-hit regions to contact helath officials immediately.

"Some who have come from affected regions are still hiding ir travel history and t informing health officials. This is dangerous," minister said. She urged people who h travelled to China in recent days to immediately contact health officials so that y could be home quarantined for a month to prevent spre of virus.PTI TGB VGN BN BN.