One more Nipah case suspected in Palakkad, Kerala steps up response

Palakkad (Kerala) | Health authorities in Kerala have stepped up Nipah containment efforts after a fresh suspected case was reported in Palakkad district.

The new suspected case is the son of a man who recently died of infection in the district, state Health Minister Veena George said in a release on Wednesday.

"Initial tests at Manjeri Medical College raised concerns of Nipah infection. Further confirmatory tests are underway," George said.

She said the patient was already in isolation as he was on the contact list.

"A route map of his movements has been prepared, and his family is being given psychological support," she said.

The minister has instructed officials to ensure mental health care for all affected.

Currently, there are two confirmed Nipah cases in the district. One of the patients, a resident of Thachanattukara, is undergoing treatment at Kozhikode Medical College.

The other, a resident of Kumaramputhur, has died. In addition, the sample of a newly suspected Nipah case has been sent for further testing, an official said.

People who had any contact with the Nipah-positive patient who died in Kumaramputhur, or those who recall being present at locations mentioned in the revised route map during the relevant time, are urged to inform the Nipah control room immediately.

The recent death of an 18-year-old girl in neighbouring Malappuram district was confirmed as Nipah infection.

According to officials, so far, 723 people across the state are on the Nipah contact list and 51 of them are linked to the newly suspected case.

District-wise, 394 people in Palakkad, 212 in Malappuram, 114 in Kozhikode, two in Ernakulam, and one in Thrissur are under surveillance, they said.

Ten people in Malappuram and seven in Palakkad are in isolation. In Malappuram, 84 samples have tested negative for Nipah so far.

Health officials said 38 people are considered at highest risk, and 142 fall under the high-risk category.

Palakkad district authorities said as part of efforts to prevent the spread of Nipah, strict restrictions have been imposed in containment zones in the district.

An interdepartmental coordination meeting led by Ottapalam Sub-Collector Dr Mithun Premraj was held online to assess the situation, they said.

A team from the National Institute of Virology has collected samples from 150 bats and sent them for testing.

According to the Animal Husbandry Department, the district's animal surveillance team and the Mannarkkad RRT (Rapid Response Team) collected samples from nine cattle, seven goats, and one dog within a one-kilometre radius of the Nipah epicentre in Kumaramputhur.

According to the WHO, Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease that spreads from animals to humans and can also be transmitted through contaminated food or via direct human-to-human contact.