In a disturbing incident, a 24-year-old man who died recently at a private hospital in Malappuram was infected with the Nipah virus, Kerala Health Minister Veena George revealed on Sunday. Minister Veena said that the suspicion of Nipah infection arose after the Regional Medical Officer conducted a death investigation.
In a video message, the minister said, “The available samples were immediately sent for testing and it turned out to be positive.” Notably, the man was a native of Mallapuran and reached the state from Bengaluru. He died on September 9, after which his available samples were sent for testing to the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital laboratory.
National Institute of Virology confirms Nipah infection
The results from Kozhikode Medical College indicated a positive result, the Mallapuram official. After the confirmation, a high-level meeting was held by the health minister on Saturday night in which she initiated the necessary steps as per the protocol. Meanwhile, the results from the National Institute of Virology (NIV) Pune on Sunday also confirmed the infection.
Five close contacts have fever, samples sent for testing
The minister said that 16 committees were formed after the meeting on Saturday night and a contact list of 151 people was identified. She said the deceased had travelled with his friends to various places and therefore close contacts had been isolated. Speaking about them, “Minor fever and symptoms were found in five of those under isolation and their samples have been sent for testing.”
Notably, the first confirmed death of Nipah infection in the state this year was reported on July 21 when a boy from Malappuram, who was undergoing treatment for the infection lost his life. Nipah outbreaks have been reported in Kozhikode district in 2018, 2021 and 2023 and in Ernakulam district in 2019, and the presence of Nipah virus antibodies had been detected in bats in Kozhikode, Wayanad, Idukki, Malappuram and Ernakulam districts.