Nipah: Karnataka sounds alert after man infected with virus in Kerala
Bengaluru: Days after a 23-year-old student was diagnosed with the potentially deadly Nipah virus in Kerala, the Karnataka government has sounded alert in eight districts, including those on the borders of the neighbouring state.
The condition of the college student, diagnosed with Nipah infection, is stable, hospital authorities said. A total of 314 persons who were in touch with the infected person have been kept under observation, officials said.
Following the Nipah outbreak report, the Health Department in Karnataka issued a circular asking administration in Chamarajanagar, Mysuru, Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, Udupi, Shivamogga and Chikkamagaluru districts to immediately convene inter-departmental coordination committee meetings, including veterinary department, Indian Medical Association and Indian Academy of Pediatrics.
Authorities in these eight districts have been directed to identify two isolation beds to quarantine suspected human cases. They have been asked to keep all the logistics available at all levels, read the circular.
The department has also asked district authorities to direct government and private hospitals to keep an eye on suspected cases.
Once a patient shows symptoms of Nipah, the hospitals have to monitor acute encephalitis syndrome, check all vital parameters and take travel history of patients.
The district hospitals should have an ICU with ventilator facilities and capacity to receive emergency cases, it read. The department asked the districts to furnish daily outbreak report regarding Nipah virus. It also directed authorities to sensitise health assistants and ASHA workers.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Nipah virus is a newly emerging disease that can be transmitted from its reservoir (natural wildlife host), flying foxes (fruit bats), to both animals and humans.
Symptoms range from asymptomatic infection, acute respiratory infection and encephalitis. Infected people initially develop influenza-like symptoms of fever, headache, vomiting and sore throat.
This can be followed by dizziness, drowsiness, altered consciousness, and neurological signs that indicate acute encephalitis.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
