Kerala Government Issues Alert: Nipah Detected In 14-Year-Old, Urges Masks

Kerala Health Minister Veena George announced on July 20th that a 14-year-old boy from Malappuram district has tested positive for Nipah virus. She informed the media that the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, confirmed the infection in the boy, who is currently receiving treatment at a private hospital.

“He will be shifted to the government medical college at Kozhikode. The contact tracing has begun. High-risk contacts have already been isolated and their samples have been sent for testing,” the health minister said.

She also mentioned that the outbreak’s epicenter was Pandikkad and emphasized that preventive measures were already in effect. Residents near the epicenter and local hospitals were instructed to wear masks in public and refrain from visiting patients. Recently, the Kerala government had unveiled plans for a special action calendar aimed at preventing a Nipah outbreak.

Nipah outbreaks were reported in Kozhikode district in 2018, 2021, and 2023, and in Ernakulam district in 2019. Nipah virus antibodies have been found in bats in Kozhikode, Wayanad, Idukki, Malappuram, and Ernakulam districts.