Nipah resurfaces in Malappuram with woman testing positive
A 42-year-old woman from Valanchery in the district has tested positive for Nipah virus. She is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Perinthalmanna, prompting health officials to take preventive action and raise alert levels.
The woman was admitted to the hospital a week ago with Nipah-related symptoms, including fever and convulsions. Health Minister Veena George said here on Thursday that emergency surveillance measures were being imposed to prevent the spread of the virus.
The source of the woman's infection remains unclear. Health officials started investigating possible links to consuming local fruit as she has limited outdoor exposure.
Health officials are tracing the woman's contacts from the past week to prevent potential spread. Initial relief came as seven high-risk individuals closely connected to her tested negative for Nipah on Thursday.
The district administration has advised people to wear masks in public, especially in crowded areas, to prevent the spread of the virus.
Restrictions have been imposed within a three-km radius of the woman's residence in Valanchery municipality. Partial restrictions will also be in place in neighbouring areas of Marakkara and Edayur panchayats.
District Medical Officer (DMO) R. Renuka said people should avoid eating fruits partly eaten by birds and bats. Fruit-eating bats have been found to be the main carrier of Nipah virus.
Nipah was reported for the first time in Kerala in 2018. Since then, Nipah outbreaks were reported almost every year, mostly in Malabar. Last year, Malappuram district witnessed two Nipah deaths when a 14-year-old boy from Pandikkad and a 24-year-old man from neighbouring Wandoor succumbed to the deadly virus.
Nipah virus is a highly pathogenic paramyxovirus classified among the World Health Organization's top ten priority pathogens.
The State medical board has recommended administering monoclonal antibodies to the patient, pending hospital ethics committee approval. The patient's relatives have the option to transfer her to the Government Medical College Hospital, Manjeri, if they wanted, said the Minister.
The Minister advised the people to limit hospital visits. She said masks would be mandatory at the Ente Keralam show being held at Kottakkunnu as part of the government's fourth anniversary celebrations.
The district administration has opened a helpline in the wake of the Nipah confirmation. The numbers are 0483- 2736320 and 2736326.
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