Amidst Nipah scare, after a Kerala youth tested positive for the virus, Health Minister KK Shailaja on Wednesday said that three nurses who treated him, a friend and another person have been kept in isolation.

The condition of the 23-year-old youth who continues to be treated at a ward at Kalamassery hospital near Kochi is said to be stable.

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The minister said that a total of 311 people are under closely observed. Except for four of them, all the rest are being looked after by health professionals in their homes.

“The officials are trying to find out, how many of these 311 had any direct contact with the youth, who has tested positive,” Shailaja said.

“The samples of the five (in isolation) have been sent to various laboratories and the final result is expected either tomorrow or day after. The preliminary findings of these five, do not point to anything serious, but, we will wait till the final results come,” she further said.

The youth was on Tuesday confirmed to have contracted Nipah virus (NiV) after a positive report by the National Institute of Virology, Pune.

Following the reports, the Kerala government asked people to not panic, but seek immediate medical attention if fever develops.

Alerts in affected areas, as well as other parts of the state, are being monitored and investigated by the state government.

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Tuesday said the Centre has assured Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of all possible support.

The Centre on Monday dispatched a team of six officers to Kerala for epidemiological investigation protocol, contact tracing for early detection of suspects, testing protocols for suspects and review of isolation facilities.

Harsh Vardhan further said the Government was also in touch with the wildlife department to seek their help for subjecting the bats for testing of the virus and assured that there was no reason to panic.

In May last year, the Nipah (NiV) virus attack had claimed 17 lives in Kerala with the majority cases being reported from Kozhikode and Malappuram districts.

Nipah virus is a zoonotic virus (it is transmitted from animals to humans) and can also be transmitted through contaminated food or directly between people. In infected people, it causes a range of illnesses from asymptomatic (subclinical) infection to acute respiratory illness and fatal encephalitis.