Following reports of Nipah virus infections in Kerala, the Karnataka government issued an alert on Tuesday to avert a similar spread in the state. In Kerala’s Kozhikode, the virus killed a 12-year-old child and sickened some healthcare staff.
The Karnataka government today urged people to defer their plans to visit Kerala till the end of October, if there is no emergency or urgency, with a view to avoid third wave of coronavirus and in larger interest of public health.
The state government in an advisory has also asked all administrators or principals of the educational, nursing, paramedical institutions to instruct their wards who have not yet returned to Karnataka from Kerala, to defer or postpone their return till the end of October.
A similar advice has been given to all administrators or owners of hospitals, nursing homes, offices, hotels, factories, industries, etc. The advisory signed by Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Jawaid Akhtar, further asked the administrators or owners to advise their wards not to travel to Kerala till the end of October.
Noting that in view of the prevailing coronavirus situation in the neighbouring state, special measures are already in place for arrivals from there, the state health department stated, it has been observed that students and employees arriving from the neighbouring state though bringing negative RT-PCR reports, they are testing Covid positive during repeat tests and number of such cases are considerably high in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi.
