42-year-old woman tests positive for Nipah virus in Kerala, Health Minister heads to Malappuram
The woman was admitted to a private hospital on May 2 with symptoms of encephalitis. Her samples were dispatched to NIV-Pune, which on Thursday confirmed the Nipah infection, health department officials in Malappuram said.
State Health Minister Veena George will visit Malappuram to oversee containment measures, which the state has been implementing since 2018 — the year Nipah was first reported in Kerala.
Kerala has had five Nipah outbreaks since 2018. Only six people who tested positive have survived — one in Kozhikode in 2018, another in Kochi in 2019, and four cases in Kozhikode in 2023.
In 2018, 17 of 18 infected people died. Another died in 2021. In 2023, two Nipah deaths were reported. Last year, Malappuram reported two deaths in July and September. With that, the total number of Nipah deaths in Kerala since 2018 stands at 22.
All the outbreaks in Kerala were reported in the May-September period, which encompasses the rainy season in the state. The prevalence of viral fever and influenza during this season makes early diagnosis of Nipah a challenge.
A study on the 2018 outbreak had found that the index case got the infection from bats, while the others got it from hospital. The virus reported in Kerala belonged to a Bangladeshi strain, which is known for a mortality rate that can go up to 90%.
A field survey conducted by the National Institute of Virology (NIV) and the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) after the Nipah death of July last year indicated that fruit bats were the source of that infection as well. The presence of antibodies of the virus was detected in fruit bats' samples collected from Pandikkad village, where the victim was from.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
2 hours ago
- India Today
Kerala reports second Nipah virus case as 57-year-old man dies
A 57-year-old man from Palakkad district in Kerala, who died on July 12, is suspected to have been infected with the Nipah virus, prompting the government to ramp up contact tracing and field-level surveillance in the man had been undergoing treatment at a private hospital in this northern samples were tested at Manjeri Medical College, where the results came back positive for Nipah, Health Minister Veena George said in a She added that the government is awaiting confirmation from the National Institute of Virology in is the second Nipah-related death reported in Kerala in recent days.A native of Malappuram had recently died from the infection, while another patient from Palakkad district remains response to the fresh suspected case, the government has ramped up contact tracing and field-level surveillance in the area.A list of 46 people who came into contact with the patient has been drawn footage and mobile tower location data have been used to help identify those on the contact list.A detailed route map of the patient's recent movements has been prepared, along with a family tree to trace close teams are now carrying out fever surveillance in the region to detect any possible symptoms in others."Field teams have been strengthened, and all available data is being used to monitor the situation," George steps will be taken once confirmation is received from the National Institute of Virology in minister has also instructed officials to step up the response team, considering the seriousness of the have urged people in Palakkad and Malappuram districts to avoid unnecessary visits to hospitals, especially under the current to friends or relatives receiving treatment should be strictly limited, officials said. Only one person is allowed to accompany a patient as a healthcare workers and those coming to the hospital, including patients and their companions, are required to wear masks at all times, an official release the health minister also issued a Nipah alert to hospitals across six advisory has been sent to medical facilities in Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur, Wayanad, and Thrissur. Hospitals have been directed to report any patients presenting with fever and symptoms resembling Nipah, including encephalitis and high-grade fever, the minister's office 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 Nipah virus contact list now includes a total of 543 people. Of these, 46 individuals are linked to the newly confirmed case, it said.- EndsMust Watch IN THIS STORY#Kerala
New Indian Express
2 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Nipah reality: Vigilance must outlast outbreak
The question that remains unanswered is why only Kerala appears so vulnerable to Nipah. One hypothesis is that the virus may have become endemic to the state. While the exact mechanism that leads to human infections and localised outbreaks remains poorly understood, experts say that deforestation has deprived fruit bats, said to be the natural reservoir of the virus, of their traditional habitats, leading to their shift to urban areas. A similar situation played out in Malaysia in 1998 when bats migrated to orchards following El Niño and deforestation in Kalimantan and Sumatra, leading to an outbreak. Factors like food scarcity, overcrowding, and the stress of habitat loss can also increase viral shedding, experts contend. It could also be a case of improved detection due to heightened surveillance and awareness; in Kerala, all acute encephalitis cases are also checked for Nipah. Infectious diseases such as H1N1, Hepatitis A, and leptospirosis already infect thousands, killing dozens every year in Kerala. This underscores the need to strengthen disease monitoring systems, invest in early-warning infrastructure, and promote behavioural changes at the community level. Eradicating Nipah may not be realistic, but minimising its transmission is. Nipah cannot be seen as a consequence of man-animal conflict, but it does emphasise the need for a better understanding of the human-animal-environment relationship. The WHO's 'One Health' approach, which links human, animal, and environmental health, offers a roadmap for long-term preparedness. Kerala must integrate this approach more systematically into its health governance. Nipah is here to stay. Kerala needs to learn to live with the virus safely.
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Second suspected Nipah death in Kerala; tracing, surveillance stepped up
A 57-year-old man from Palakkad district in Kerala, who died on July 12, is suspected to have been infected with the Nipah virus, prompting the government to ramp up contact tracing and field-level surveillance in the area. According to the WHO, Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease that spreads from animals to humans(Representational Photo/Twitter/islantstudio) The man had been undergoing treatment at a private hospital in this northern district. His samples were tested at Manjeri Medical College, where the result came back positive for Nipah, Health Minister Veena George said in a statement. She added that the government is awaiting confirmation from the National Institute of Virology in Pune. This is the second Nipah-related death reported in Kerala in recent days. A native of Malappuram had recently died from the infection, while another patient from Palakkad district remains hospitalised. Also read: Kerala govt says 499 people in Nipah contact list In response to the fresh suspected case, the government has ramped up contact tracing and field-level surveillance in the area. A list of 46 people who came into contact with the patient has been drawn up. CCTV footage and mobile tower location data have been used to help identify those on the contact list. A detailed route map of the patient's recent movements has been prepared, along with a family tree to trace close contacts. Health teams are now carrying out fever surveillance in the region to detect any possible symptoms in others. "Field teams have been strengthened, and all available data is being used to monitor the situation," George said. Further steps will be taken once confirmation is received from the National Institute of Virology in Pune. The minister has also instructed officials to step up the response team, considering the seriousness of the case. Authorities have urged people in Palakkad and Malappuram districts to avoid unnecessary visits to hospitals, especially under the current circumstances. Visits to friends or relatives receiving treatment should be strictly limited, officials said. Only one person is allowed to accompany a patient as a bystander. Both healthcare workers and those coming to the hospital, including patients and their companions, are required to wear masks at all times, an official release said. 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. The Nipah virus contact list now includes a total of 543 people. Of these, 46 individuals are linked to the newly confirmed case, it said. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
