Kerala Nipah suspect in Goa tests negative

Panaji, May 30 A Kerala native, who was quarantined in an isolation ward of a Goa hospital after he developed symptoms similar to those affected by the Nipah virus, has been discharged after his test results proved negative.

"He has been discharged after tests results received from the National Institute of Virology in Pune, tested him negative for Nipah," a state Health Ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday.

The 20-year-old had walked into the Goa Medical College on Monday after deboarding a train originating from Kerala fearing that he had developed Nipah-like symptoms.

NiV is transmitted through direct contact with infected bats, pigs or from other NiV-infected people.