Malappuram, July 16: Indian health authorities have placed over 600 people under observation following the suspected Nipah virus-related death of a 57-year-old man from Palakkad district, Kerala state’s health minister said on Monday.
The man died on July 12 while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Malappuram, but laboratory confirmation of the cause is still awaited from the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune.
Health Minister Veena George said 112 individuals have been identified as primary contacts of the deceased. A containment zone has been declared, and a route map of the deceased’s movements was prepared using CCTV footage and other data sources.
“Field-level operations have been intensified and fever surveillance is underway,” George said. “We are strengthening our response teams and using all available data to monitor the situation closely.”
A high-level meeting chaired by the health minister was held to review the situation, with participation from top officials, including the Additional Chief Secretary of the Health Department, NHM State Mission Director, and senior police and district officials.
According to the Health Department, a total of 609 individuals are on the Nipah contact list, distributed across four districts:
- Palakkad – 286
- Malappuram – 207
- Kozhikode – 114
- Ernakulam – 2
Among them, 38 people are under highest-risk observation, while 133 are classified as high-risk.
In Malappuram, eight individuals are receiving ICU treatment, though no positive cases have been confirmed. Seventy-two samples collected from the district have so far tested negative.
In Palakkad, five people have been placed in hospital isolation as a precaution.
Authorities have urged residents of Palakkad and Malappuram districts to avoid unnecessary hospital visits. Public visits to hospitalized friends or relatives have been strongly discouraged.
Hospitals have implemented restrictions, allowing only one attendant per patient, and have made mask-wearing mandatory for all healthcare workers, patients, and visitors.
Officials have also deployed additional medical staff for surveillance and contact tracing in the affected areas.
Kerala has experienced multiple Nipah outbreaks in recent years, including deadly flare-ups in 2018, 2019, and 2021, prompting the state to maintain high vigilance for the virus, which has a high fatality rate and no known cure.
