CHENNAI: The samples of the suspected case of Nipah reported at JIPMER hospital in Pondicherry has turned out to be negative on Saturday. A 45-year-old man from Chidambaram was working in Kerala, near Kozhikode and had come back to his home town after he fell ill due to fever and cough.

"The patient had reported some respiratory condition and he went to the Cuddalore government hospital for treatment. Later, he was taken to JIPMER where he was suspected of Nipah because he had developed Pneumonia also, " said a doctor from JIPMER.

The hospital said that the patient reported symptoms of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) and had a history of travel to Nipah affected areas in Kerala, is why he was kept in isolation and he was tested for Nipah. The samples of the patient were sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune. The test results have shown that the patient is negative for Nipah.

"He is now being treated as other Pneumonia patients. The condition is stable and he was kept in normal ward only and so far, intensive care is not required. The patient is being monitored, " said a spokesperson from the hospital.