Thiruvananthapuram: A total of seven people were in the isolation ward at the Kalamassery Medical College in Ernakulam, Kerala, following confirmation that a 23-year-old resident from the region was affected with Nipah. Among the seven, who were suspected of having symptoms of the Nipah virus, six had been cleared as the samples tested negative on Thursday. Now, the sample of the seventh person too has proved to be negative.

Meanwhile, two youths were admitted to the isolation ward of the Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College Hospital, with symptoms of Nipah virus. Presently, they are under observation. Their blood samples and throat swabs were sent to the National Institute of Virus (NIV) Pune and Alappuzha, and Manipal Institute of Virology for confirmation. The two are residents of Kalliyoor in Thiruvananthapuram and Kadakkal in Kollam disrticts of Kerala.

The state government was waiting for a final confirmation of the test results from the National Institute of Virology (NIV) Pune before declaring if a patient is tested positive or negative for the virus. Initially, the blood, urine, throat swab of the patients in the isolation ward were sent to NIV Alappuzha and Manipal laboratories.

On June 4, Pune’s National Institute of Virology had confirmed that the Kerala youth, who was admitted to a private hospital in Ernakulam with high fever for 10 days, is affected by the Nipah virus.

A year ago, Nipah virus had claimed 18 lives in Kozhikode. 

Isolation wards have also been arranged at three government medical colleges - Ernakulam, Thrissur and Kozhikode - to treat suspected persons.