Nipah virus case confirmed in Kerala’s Malappuram district
Malappuram (Kerala), May 8 (PTI): A case of Nipah virus has been confirmed in Kerala’s Malappuram district, health officials said on Thursday.
State Health Minister Veena George said the infection was found in a 42-year-old woman from Ward 2 of Valanchery municipality.
She is currently being treated at a hospital in Perinthalmanna.
The woman first visited a private clinic on April 25 with a fever. On May 1, she was admitted to the hospital after her doctor advised further treatment.
Initial tests in the state pointed to Nipah, and this was later confirmed by the virology lab in Pune.
Twenty-one samples from seven people who had close contact with the patient, including family members, have all tested negative for the virus, according to the Minister.
After the case was confirmed, George visited the district on Thursday and held a high-level meeting at the Collectorate to assess the situation and give necessary instructions. The doctor treating the patient also joined the meeting online, an official release said here.
The state medical board has recommended giving the patient monoclonal antibodies as part of her treatment.
This will be done once the hospital's ethics committee gives its approval.
Although the patient is expected to remain at her current hospital, officials said she may be moved to Manjeri Medical College if her family requests it, the release said.
The area within a three-kilometre radius of her home will be declared a containment zone.
A special order will be issued by the District Collector under the Public Health and Disaster Management Acts.
Restrictions will mainly apply in Valanchery municipality and the nearby Marakkara and Edappal panchayats.
As part of Nipah control measures, 25 special teams have been formed and are already working to trace people who may have come into contact with the patient.
Although the risk of further spread is believed to be low, thorough screening will be carried out, the release said.
All contacts--both high-risk and low-risk--will be kept under observation for 21 days.
The Health Department has made sure that essential medicines are available. Investigations are also underway to find the source of the infection.
A dead cat was found in the area, and the Animal Husbandry Department will test samples to see if it is linked to the case.
Health teams will carry out fever surveys in Valanchery and nearby panchayats, it said.
Hospitals have been instructed to strictly follow infection control protocols.
In light of the situation, the minister urged the public to remain alert.
The Minister asked people to wear masks, use hand sanitiser, and avoid unnecessary visits to hospitals.
At the ongoing "Ente Keralam" exhibition in Kottakkunnu, which marks the state government's fourth anniversary, wearing masks and using sanitiser has now been made compulsory, the release added.
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'The Ba**ds of Bollywood’ mirrors my life, damages my reputation: Sameer Wankhede tells Delhi HC
New Delhi: IRS officer Sameer Wankhede has submitted his reply to the Delhi High Court in the defamation case he filed against Red Chillies Entertainment, the production company owned by actor Shah Rukh Khan. The case pertains to the recently released series The Ba**ds of Bollywood*, which Wankhede claims has defamed him.
In his statement to the court, Wankhede asserted that the show’s portrayal of a police officer is clearly based on him and has caused serious harm to his public image. He cited four key reasons supporting his claim.
First, he said the character in question bears physical similarities to him, including facial and body features. Second, he noted that the character’s working style and mannerisms closely resemble his own.
Third, Wankhede highlighted that the officer in the show is depicted making a high-profile arrest involving a major film personality, which he said directly mirrors his own involvement in the Aryan Khan drug case.
Fourth, he pointed out that the character frequently uses the phrase “Satyameva Jayate,” a motto he himself had used during media interactions in the course of that investigation. He argued that using the national motto in such a context cannot be dismissed as creative expression or humour.
Wankhede also referred to an interview in which Aryan Khan allegedly admitted that the show was “inspired by some real events.” This, he said, contradicts Red Chillies Entertainment’s claim that The Ba**ds of Bollywood* is purely fictional.
He further alleged that the tone and intent of the series indicate personal and institutional vendetta, aimed at discrediting and defaming him rather than engaging in artistic storytelling.
Wankhede informed the court that the fallout from the show has affected his family, with his wife and sister receiving abusive and vulgar messages online.
Rejecting Red Chillies’ argument that he is a “thin-skinned” officer, Wankhede said that a public servant cannot be expected to tolerate false and damaging portrayals simply because of his position. He emphasized that his legal action seeks to protect the constitutional rights and dignity of both himself and his family.
