A sample from fruit-eating bats were collected by the National Institute of Virology (NIV) officials to find the source of the Nipah Virus in Kozhikode. A team of health official from NIV, Pune, arrived in Kozhikode on Friday and visited the Nipah epicentre.

There has been widespread panic caused by the emergence of cases testing positive for the viral infection.

Meanwhile, government officials conducted a complete house-to-house survey within three-km-radius from the house of the 12-year-old boy who succumbed to Nipah virus on September 5 as part of is fever surveillance, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Friday.

He said in the survey around 15,000 houses were included from the containment zone and details were sought from around 68,000 persons. 

"A house-to-house survey was conducted within a three-km-radius from the house of the deceased child. The survey was held in around 15,000 houses and involved around 68,000 persons. The surveillance team sought details of any unusual fever or unnatural deaths in these areas," Vijayan said, adding that no such cases were reported in the survey. 

 The Chief Minister also added that those people with mild symptoms will be in room isolation for 21 days and the health workers will monitor their condition. 

On Thursday, Health minister Veena George had said that 274 people were identified as being in the primary contact list of the victim and they were being observed. Test results of 68 people who had come in close contact with the 12-year-old child who succumbed to Nipah have been negative for the virus, George had said on Thursday.

A Central team had rushed a medical team to the Kozhikode district of Kerala as the state reported the first death due to the Nipah virus on September 5. 

Nipah virus is a zoonotic virus but it can also be transmitted from person to person and through contaminated food.

(With inputs from agencies)