Kerala Health Minister Veena George announced on Friday that all four patients, including a nine-year-old boy, who were being treated for the Nipah virus in the state’s Kozhikode district, have now tested negative for the infection and have been discharged from the hospital. Of the total six Nipah cases reported in Kozhikode, two resulted in fatalities. The nine-year-old boy, who has now recovered, is the son of Muhammad Ali (47), the primary case. Ali succumbed to the virus on August 30, while the second victim passed away on September 11.
The Health Minister expressed her relief on Facebook in a Malayalam post, sharing the “good news” that all four patients had tested “double negative” (two separate samples tested at different times returned negative results). Recent data from the government indicates that there have been no new Nipah cases until Sunday, with the latest five samples tested returning negative results. As a consequence, containment zone restrictions in the Kozhikode district have been relaxed.
Minister George previously emphasised the state government’s intent to fortify the healthcare system. “We are enhancing the ‘One Health’ activities, ensuring inter-departmental coordination for community surveillance throughout the year,” she stated.
Research by ICMR and WHO indicates a likelihood of Nipah occurrence in Kerala and eight other Indian states. In response to these findings, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced the state’s plan to conduct a seroprevalence study, particularly focusing on the recurring detection of the Nipah virus in the Kozhikode district.
