Health Minister Ma Subramanian said that directions have been issued to nine districts that border Kerala to take preventive measures.
In the wake of the neighbouring state Kerala reporting a death due to Nipah virus infection, the Tamil Nadu government has tightened security measures in areas bordering the state. Health Minister Ma Subramanian said that directions have been issued to nine districts that border Kerala to take preventive measures.
Subramanian clarified that that public transportation between Kerala and Tamil Nadu has not been suspended. The government in its previous directions had said that people coming from Kerala through any mode of transport has to be fully vaccinated or carry an RT-PCR negative certificate taken 72 hours prior to departure.
Coimbatore Collector GS Sameeran Monday also issued a clarification stating that no case has been identified in the district after a false report emerged on social media.
Sameeran said the district administration has intensified the screening at check-posts along the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border and is implementing all the safety guidelines that are issued to prevent the spread of vector-borne infectious diseases.
“We are taking preventive measures. We are implementing steps to strengthen the fever surveillance. If a patient visits health centers with a higher temperature, we have instructed the doctors to carry tests for Zika, Nipah, or other viral infections like dengue before sending them home. We have also told them not to simply provide paracetamol and send them, we are monitoring the distribution of antipyretic drugs,” he said.