Centre to deploy team for health measures after Kerala confirms Nipah case

NIV Pune on Friday had confirmed Nipah infection in 38-year-old female from Palakkad

The Centre will deploy a team of experts to support Kerala in public health measures following the confirmation of at least one Nipah virus case in the state, according to sources. 

 

This comes after the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, on Friday confirmed Nipah infection in a 38-year-old woman from Palakkad district. The affected patient is currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Malappuram. 

 

Tests are also ongoing for samples from an 18-year-old girl, who had succumbed to acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) in Kozhikode three days ago. 

 

Health authorities in these three districts have been put on high alert, with officials working on contact tracing and quarantining people who could be at risk of infection. 

 

Kerala Health Minister Veena George said that a total of 345 people have already been traced as possible contacts for the two patients. “Out of these, 211 people are in Malappuram, 91 in Palakkad and 43 in Kozhikode district,” she added. 

 

Reports suggest that at least 26 rapid response teams have been set up in each of the three affected districts in response to the evolving situation. These teams will carry out contact tracing, symptom monitoring and public awareness. 

 

Nipah is a zoonotic virus that is transmitted from animals to humans, with the fruit bat being a natural carrier of the virus. 

 

Kerala has been reporting Nipah outbreaks for the past few years, starting in 2018 when 17 persons had died due to the infection. The latest case had come in May this year when a 42-year-old woman tested positive for the virus, but recovered.