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 the state government to take urgent steps to prevent a possible outbreak.
The man had been undergoing treatment at a private hospital in the northern part of Palakkad. According to Health Minister Veena George, his samples were tested at Manjeri Medical College, which returned a positive result for Nipah. In a public statement, she confirmed, “Field teams have been strengthened, and all available data is being used to monitor the situation.”
This is not the first recent Nipah case in the region. A resident of Malappuram had already died from the virus, while another patient from Palakkad remains admitted to the hospital. In response to the latest suspected case, the government has significantly increased contact tracing efforts and field-level health monitoring.
Officials have already prepared a list of 46 people who had close contact with the deceased patient. Surveillance teams are using CCTV footage and mobile phone tower data to trace individuals who might have come into contact with him. A detailed route map showing his recent movements has also been created, and a family tree has been drawn up to help identify high-risk contacts.
Health teams are now conducting fever surveillance in the affected area to quickly identify any signs of infection in others. The contact list has grown to 543 individuals, and the 46 new names are specifically linked to the most recent case.
Minister George also mentioned that more action would be taken once the National Institute of Virology in Pune confirms the test results. Meanwhile, she has urged health officials to increase staffing and prepare response teams to handle the potential spread.
The public has been strongly advised to avoid unnecessary hospital visits, especially in Palakkad and Malappuram districts. According to government instructions, only one person is allowed to accompany a patient, and visiting friends or family members in hospitals should be strictly limited.
In a formal announcement, authorities stated that everyone inside hospitals—including healthcare workers, patients, and attendants—must wear masks at all times. The aim is to reduce any chance of transmission within medical facilities.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease, which means it spreads from animals to humans. It can also be transmitted through contaminated food or direct human-to-human contact, making containment and early detection critically important.
As the state waits for final confirmation from national health authorities, Kerala remains on high alert, mobilising resources and tightening preventive measures to keep the virus from spreading further.
