Kerala Issues High Alert Following Nipah Virus Cases

Nipah Virus Alert in Kerala

On Friday, the Kerala government declared a high alert across three districts after two suspected cases of the Nipah virus emerged, with one case later confirmed. The districts affected include Malappuram, Palakkad, and Kozhikode.

Among the suspected cases is an 18-year-old woman from Malappuram, who tragically passed away on Tuesday in Kozhikode due to acute encephalitis syndrome. The second case involves a 38-year-old woman from Palakkad, who is currently receiving treatment in Malappuram.

Both women exhibited symptoms indicative of the virus during routine health checks. Preliminary tests conducted at government medical colleges in Kozhikode and Malappuram suggested the presence of the virus, as reported by local news sources.

Samples were forwarded to the National Institute of Virology in Pune for further confirmation. On Friday, the institute confirmed the infection in the 38-year-old, while results for the 18-year-old are still pending.

In response to these cases, Health Minister Veena George held an emergency meeting and announced that preventive measures have been escalated in accordance with established Nipah virus protocols. She also mentioned that police assistance is being sought to trace individuals who may have been in contact with the infected patients.

To enhance public safety, state and district helplines are being established, and 26 rapid response teams have been deployed for contact tracing, symptom monitoring, and public awareness campaigns.

Officials have been instructed to investigate any recent unexplained or unnatural deaths, as these could signal a potential outbreak.

The Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease that can be transmitted from animals, such as pigs and fruit bats, to humans. It can also spread through human-to-human contact.

Symptoms include fever and cold-like signs, and in severe cases, it can lead to encephalitis, which is brain inflammation, and myocarditis, or heart inflammation.

In May, a 42-year-old woman in Malappuram tested positive for the Nipah virus after being admitted with encephalitis symptoms, but she has since recovered.

Since 2018, Kerala has faced five outbreaks of the Nipah virus. Reports indicate that only seven patients have survived the infection to date: one in Kozhikode in 2018, another in Kochi in 2019, four in Kozhikode in 2023, and the 42-year-old woman in May.

In 2018, 17 out of 18 infected individuals died, and one death was recorded in 2021. This year, two fatalities due to the Nipah virus have been reported, alongside two deaths last year.