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dpa
New Delhi
The outbreak of Nipah virus in India's southern state of Kerala is minor and localized, health officials said on Friday while issuing warnings to people living in high-risk areas.
A total of 13 people had died of Nipah virus from the 30 confirmed cases in the Kozhikode and Malappuram districts, junior health minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey said. Twenty more people suspected to have contracted the virus were admitted to various hospitals in the state.
A multi-disciplinary team led by India's National Centre for Disease Control was sent to Kerala to investigate the cases after the first death was reported early this week.
"After reviewing the cases of all the patients who have lost [their] lives, the central high-level team is of the view that the Nipah virus disease is not a major outbreak and is only a local occurrence,"the Health Ministry said in a statement.
The team also emphasized preventive measures for people living in the stricken areas, guidelines for healthcare workers as well as sample collection.
"The efforts taken so far have been fruitful as the disease has not spread to new areas,"the ministry said.
