Nipah death in Palakkad leads to alert in six Kerala districts

A contemporary Nipah case in Palakkad district of Kerala has sparked fears that the lethal virus remains to be lurking regardless of efforts by the well being authorities to include its unfold.

Palakkad reported the second Nipah case on Saturday evening (July 12, 2025) as a 58-year-old man from Kumaramputhur close to Mannarkkad examined constructive for the virus after his loss of life in a personal hospital at Perinthalmanna. He had been beneath remedy on the hospital with fever.

Even earlier than the official affirmation from the Nationwide Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, got here, well being authorities in Palakkad and Malappuram districts swiftly initiated contact tracing for people who interacted with him over the previous three weeks. As many as 46 individuals who have been in touch with the contaminated particular person have been traced.

Other than the 2 districts, Kozhikode, Thrissur, Kannur, and Wayanad districts have additionally been placed on alert.

Well being Minister Veena George stated on Sunday (July 13, 2025) {that a} detailed contact listing and route map had been ready and was awaiting launch pending affirmation from the NIV.

Surveillance digital camera footage was examined to hint the contacts and to organize the route map. A household tree of the deceased particular person too has been mapped out.

The Minister stated that fieldwork in and round Kumaramputhur was ramped up on Sunday (July 13, 2025). Fever surveillance is happening and a number of well being employee groups will conduct door-to-door visits to allay fears and supply steering on precautions in opposition to the Nipah virus, which is extensively believed to be spreading from fruit consuming bats.

“We’ll bolster our battle in opposition to Nipah by strengthening the well being groups concerned in it and intensifying preventive measures as quickly as we get the ultimate affirmation from NIV, Pune,” Ms. George stated.

Ms. George urged the general public to chorus from visiting associates and family members in hospitals in Palakkad and Malappuram districts as a precautionary measure to stop the potential unfold of Nipah.

To minimise the danger of virus transmission, hospitals have been suggested to restrict the variety of bystanders allowed with sufferers. Sufferers, bystanders and healthcare workers have been suggested to put on masks.

As many as 543 individuals throughout the State, together with the 46 contacts of the newest Nipah sufferer, are at present beneath commentary. Whereas 208 of them are in Malappuram, 219 are in Palakkad, 114 in Kozhikode and two in Ernakulam. The most recent episode marks the sixth Nipah case in Kerala inside a 12 months. In July 2024, a 14-year-old boy at Pandikkad (Malappuram) fell sufferer to the lethal virus, adopted by a 24-year-old man at Naduvath, Wandoor (Malappuram) in September 2024.