14-year-old boy who tested positive for the Nipah virus at Kozhikode Medical College Hospital passed away from the disease on Sunday afternoon, Health Minister Veena George said.
“A case of Nipah virus has been detected in Mallapuram district of Kerala. A 14-year-old boy from Mallapuram exhibited AES symptoms and was admitted to a healthcare facility in Perinthalmanna before being transferred to a higher health center in Kozhikode. However, the patient later succumbed to the disease. The samples were sent to NIV, Pune which has confirmed a Nipah virus infection,” Govt of India said in a press release.
The Centre has recommended that the state government implement immediate public health measures. These include conducting active case searches within the confirmed case’s family, neighborhood, and similar areas, as well as thorough contact tracing for the past 12 days. The guidelines also call for strict quarantine of contacts, isolation of any suspects, and the collection and transportation of samples for laboratory testing.
A multi-member joint outbreak response team from the National ‘One Health Mission’ of the Union Health Ministry will be deployed to assist the State in investigating the case, identifying epidemiological connections, and providing technical support. Additionally, at the State’s request, the ICMR has sent monoclonal antibodies for patient management and a mobile BSL-3 laboratory for testing extra samples from contacts, which has now arrived in Kozhikode. Although the monoclonal antibodies arrived before the patient’s death, they could not be used due to the patient’s deteriorated condition.
It is important to note that Kerala has experienced Nipah Virus Disease (NiVD) outbreaks in the past, with the most recent occurring in 2023 in Kozhikode district. Fruit bats are the primary carriers of the virus, and humans can contract it by consuming fruits contaminated by bats, according to the press release.
Previously, on Saturday, Veena George held a high-level meeting in the Malappuram district following reports of a suspected Nipah virus case in the state. The meeting focused on strategies to prevent the virus’s spread and ensure public safety. Officials also assessed the current situation and reviewed the measures implemented so far to manage the outbreak.