The Union Health Ministry announced on Sunday that a 14-year-old boy from Mallapuram district in Kerala has died from Nipah virus infection. The boy initially showed symptoms of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) and was admitted to a healthcare facility in Perinthalmanna. He was later transferred to a higher health center in Kozhikode, where he ultimately succumbed to the disease.
Samples from the boy were sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune, which confirmed the presence of the Nipah virus. In response, the Ministry has urged the Kerala state government to implement immediate containment measures. This includes active case searches within the boy’s family, neighborhood, and similar areas, as well as rigorous contact tracing over the past 12 days. Strict quarantine protocols for contacts and isolation of any suspected cases are also advised.
A multi-member joint outbreak response team from the National ‘One Health Mission’ will assist the state in investigating the case, identifying epidemiological linkages, and providing technical support. Additionally, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) sent monoclonal antibodies for patient management, but they could not be administered due to the patient’s deteriorated condition. A mobile BSL-3 laboratory for further testing has also arrived in Kozhikode.
This incident follows previous Nipah virus outbreaks in Kerala, with the most recent one occurring in Kozhikode in 2023. Fruit bats are known reservoirs for the virus, which can spread to humans through bat-contaminated fruit.