Putting Kerala on high alert, Kerala Health Minister KK Shylaja on Tuesday said that the test results of a 23-year-old engineering student in Ernakulam, who was admitted at a Kochi private hospital with high fever, has confirmed the presence of Nipah virus.

The National Institute of Virology, Pune has confirmed the test result.

The patient's friend has also been shifted to the isolation ward.

"Two nurses who took care of the patient have also been put under observation,"  Shylaja said.

"There's no need to panic. All precautionary measures have been made. A high-level medical team is camping here to assess the situation," she said.

The minister urged the public not to spread any wrong information, especially through social media.

Earlier, blood samples examined at two virology institutes--Manipal Institute of Virology and Kerala Institute of Virology and Infectious Diseases--had indicated Nipah.

After fever persisted for 10 days, the youth was admitted to the private hospital, which sent his blood samples to a Bengaluru-based private laboratory.

The test results said it could be a case of Nipah. For reconfirmation, the blood samples were sent to the two other institutes, officials said on Monday.

“We’re closely monitoring the condition of the youth and the people who had come in direct contact with him,” Shylaja said earlier.

“The condition of the youth is stable. He’s responding to medicines and taking foods. The safety of nurses and doctors will also be of top priority,” she added on Monday.

“We’re confident of stopping the disease from spreading. The experience we had in Kozhikode has made us confident to tackle even worse situations,” she said.

The government is also taking steps fearing the worst news from NIV, Pune. Isolation wards have been set up in Kochi, Thrissur and Kozhikode.

“We’re all fully geared up to tackle the situation. The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in Ernakulam MCH casualty section has been converted into a 10-bed isolation ward. The nurses and other medical staff of the hospital are given the training to meet emergency situations,” said MCH superintendent Dr Peter P Vazhayil.

On Monday, a six-member medical team led by Kozhikode MCH Emergency Medicine Head  Dr Chandini Sajeevan arrived at Kalamassery for a high-level technical meeting with the Health Minister.

The team including three doctors and paramedical staff had the experience of treating and tackling the Nipah spread in Kozhikode.

“The NIV has stock of monoclonal antibody, a remedial medicine found to be effective among those infected by a similar virus, which was brought from Australia. If any need arises, we’re fully equipped to stop it from spreading,” said the Health Minister.