Mysuru: In a major relief to the District Administration, a youth, who was suspected to be infected by the deadly Nipah Virus (NiV) and was being treated at the isolated ward of the K.R. Hospital in city has been certified not Nipah-infected. This was the first case of Nipah scare reported in city.

The youth, 18-year-old Raghu, who hailed from Hebbal Kuppe village in H.D. Kote, was admitted at the hospital for fever four days ago. However, there was no sign of fall in temperature as he gradually developed respiratory problems. Since H.D. Kote borders North Kerala where over 15 people have died due to the deadly virus, authorities did not take any chances and sent samples for laboratory test.

Doctors collected his throat swab, blood, urine and CSF (liquid around brain and spinal cord) samples, and sent to the laboratory set up at Alappuzzha in Kerala and the results have proved negative.

At the K.R. Hospital, the isolated 10-bed ward has been created on the third floor of the Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology unit.

Speaking to SOM this morning, Dr. S. Chandrashekar, Acting Medical Superintendent of K.R. Hospital, said that as serious symptoms were observed in Raghu, he was shifted to the dedicated (isolated) ward set up for Nipah-infected people.

“As soon as we collected the samples, we contacted National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, Maharashtra and  as samples will reach Pune late due to distance, the authorities there suggested us to send the samples to the exclusive Nipah-testing laboratory at Alappuzzha, Kerala. The tests have now revealed that Raghu is not Nipah-infected.

Test results indicated the symptoms of brain fever. But the doctors eventually decided to test for Nipah virus in the wake of general panic among people. Raghu is on ventilator support now and his condition is stable.