A 57-year-old man from Kerala’s Palakkad district, who passed away on July 12, is suspected to have been infected with the Nipah virus, prompting health authorities to tighten surveillance and contact tracing.
The man had been receiving treatment at a private hospital, and preliminary tests conducted at Manjeri Medical College returned positive for Nipah, Health Minister Veena George confirmed. Officials are awaiting final confirmation from the National Institute of Virology in Pune.
This marks the second Nipah-related fatality in Kerala within days. A patient from Malappuram had recently died, while another person from Palakkad remains hospitalised.
In response, health teams have intensified efforts to track potential contacts. A list of 46 individuals who interacted with the deceased has been compiled using CCTV footage and mobile tower data. A detailed map of his movements and a family contact tree have been prepared.
Field-level fever surveillance has begun across the area to detect further infections.
Minister George urged residents to avoid unnecessary hospital visits. Only one attendant per patient is allowed, and mask-wearing is mandatory for all healthcare workers and visitors.
A Nipah alert has been issued to hospitals in Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur, Wayanad, and Thrissur districts. Medical facilities have been instructed to promptly report cases showing high fever, encephalitis, or symptoms resembling Nipah infection.
According to WHO, Nipah is a zoonotic virus transmitted from animals to humans, contaminated food, or direct human contact.