Centre Recommends Urgent Steps Following Nipah Virus Death Of Kerala Teen

A 14-year-old boy from Mallapuram district in Kerala died due to the Nipah virus, prompting the Centre to launch an urgent public health response. Admitted first to a healthcare facility in Perinthalmanna with symptoms of acute encephalitis syndrome, the boy was shifted to a higher health center at Kozhikode. He succumbed to the disease. His test results from the National Institute of Virology, Pune, confirmed the Nipah virus infection.

It has asked the State to undertake four immediate public health measures, including active case search and contact tracing. The state has been asked to carry out active case searches within the boy’s family, neighbourhood, and other similar areas to detect more cases. The contact tracing of the boy’s interaction during the last 12 days is also mandated to keep contacts under observation to prevent further transmission.

According to the advisory, the contacts of the confirmed case shall be strictly quarantined, and the suspects showing symptoms shall be isolated. Samples from potential contacts and suspects should be collected and sent for laboratory testing to enable early detection and response.

A multi-member joint outbreak response team from the National ‘One Health Mission’ of the Union health ministry shall at its instances deploy to help the state government manage the outbreak. The team shall assist in case investigation, identification of epidemiological linkages, and technical assistance.

The ministry said the ICMR had sent at its request monoclonal antibodies for patient management. A mobile Biosafety Level-3 laboratory for testing the samples from contacts has also reached Kozhikode. Monoclonal antibodies could not be administered to the boy due to his poor condition.

Nipah virus outbreaks have been reported earlier in the State of Kerala, the latest being in 2023 at Kozhikode district. Fruit bats are primary carriers, and the infection is most often transmitted to humans through fruit infected by bats’ secretion.