Malappuram -A 14-year-old boy from Malappuram district in Kerala has tested positive for the Nipah virus, state health officials confirmed on Saturday. The case has prompted authorities to implement strict precautionary measures in the affected area.
Kerala Health Minister Veena George announced that the National Institute of Virology in Pune had confirmed the infection. The boy is currently on ventilator support at a private hospital and will be transferred to the government medical college in Kozhikode for further treatment.
"Contact tracing has begun, and high-risk contacts have already been isolated. Their samples have been sent for testing," Minister George stated. The epicenter of the outbreak has been identified as Pandikkad in Malappuram district.
Authorities have imposed restrictions within a 3-kilometer radius of the epicenter. Residents in Pandikkad and surrounding areas are urged to wear masks in public spaces and avoid hospital visits.
The Nipah virus, a zoonotic illness transmitted from animals such as pigs and fruit bats to humans, can cause severe respiratory infections, fever, and in some cases, brain inflammation leading to coma. There is currently no vaccine available for the virus.
The state health department has issued warnings against consuming fruits that appear partially eaten by birds or animals. "Eat fruits only after washing them properly. Do not consume beverages such as toddy which are stored in open containers," the department advised.
This latest case follows previous Nipah outbreaks in Kerala, including incidents in Kozhikode district in 2018, 2021, and 2023, and in Ernakulam district in 2019. The 2018 outbreak resulted in at least 17 fatalities.
Health officials are on high alert, given the virus's presence in local bat populations across several districts in Kerala. As the situation develops, authorities continue to monitor and implement necessary preventive measures to contain the spread of the virus.
