A familiar fear in Kozhikode as Nipah resurfaces
Five years later, Nipah has returned to Kozhikode, and while fear persists, there is now a greater sense of familiarity, with some fatalism
Kochi: In May 2018, Changaroth, a sleepy village on the eastern border of Kerala’s Kozhikode district, first hit national headlines when it reported the first case of the deadly Nipah virus in the state. Four members of a family died in quick succession, reiterating what came to be common knowledge later – that the virus was deadly. The roads to the village were shut, and as fear spread, most residents stayed indoors for a week, wary of stepping out.
Five years later, Nipah has returned to Kozhikode, and while fear persists, there is now a greater sense of familiarity, with some fatalism. This year, Changaroth itself has reported no infections, but three of 19 wards have been turned into containment zones. “Today, it seems people are no longer afraid. They are forced to stay indoors because of government restrictions. Whatever happens, we have to live on,” Shihab Kannatt, a school teacher who stays in the panchayat, said.
“In 2018, we used to even fear the wind when it blew. Anxiety levels were so high back then. It was all new to us and we had never heard of this virus. Moreover, I personally knew Muhammad Sabith, the first person to succumb to Nipah, and his family very well. I taught him in school. It was a very traumatic time,” Kannatt added.
Abhijith KM, a panchayat ward member, said restrictions to curb the spread of the virus were re-imposed in tune with the health department’s guidelines.
“Two of the wards have been declared as containment zones as they fall within the five-kilometre radius of a Nipah victim’s residence in neighbouring Maruthonkara. In the third ward, there are about 22 people who had visited the home of a 47-year-old (MAN/WOMAN?) on August 30 who succumbed to the virus. But they don’t have any symptoms right now and they are in isolation,” he said.
Though normal life has come to a halt within the containment zones, ward-level rapid response teams (RRTs) are actively ensuring distribution of essential food and medicines to the residents, Abhijith said.
On Friday, a team of dozens of ASHA workers, Kudumbashree workers and RRT members scoured the panchayat, visiting door-to-door as part of a fever survey. If residents exhibit symptoms, their names and phone numbers are jotted down, bringing them under the surveillance network.
Ashokan, a retired schoolteacher whose ward is under lockdown, said: “Compared to 2018, we are much more aware of Nipah now, how it spreads, and what precautions we should take. That year, the deaths took place in our neighbourhood and Changaroth was the centre of attention. Today, I would say people are less fearful but they are alert.”
Sareesh ET, another ward member in Changaroth, said a majority of people are cooperating with the restrictions.
“We have a family health centre whose outpatient department usually sees about 500 people a day. Today, that number has come down to less than 100. There are fewer people on the buses as well. So I think people understand that Nipah is much more dangerous than Covid and it’s not to be taken lightly,” he said.
“At the same time, no one is panicking like in 2018. That year, we had nearly 40-50 families who had left their homes to move to relatives’ places during the outbreak because they were so afraid. This year, all of them are at home,” he added.
