Kerala: 14-year-old in Malappuram tests positive for Nipah virus

PTC News Desk: On Saturday, the Kerala government verified that a 14-year-old boy from the Malappuram district had contracted Nipah.

A zoonotic disease called the Nipah virus infection is spread from animals like fruit bats and pigs to people. Although nipah typically spreads to people through contaminated food or animals, it can also be passed directly between people.

Seizures and brain inflammation that causes a coma are possible symptoms in severe cases, but other symptoms include vomiting, a high fever, and a respiratory illness. Nipah vaccines are not available.

The youngster is on a ventilator at a private hospital, and the National Institute of Virology in Pune has confirmed the infection, according to Kerala Health Minister Veena George.

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“He’ll be moved to Kozhikode’s government medical college. We have started tracing the contacts. According to PTI, George stated, “High-risk contacts have already been isolated, and their samples have been sent for testing.”

George said that precautions had already been taken and that Pandikkad in the area was the epicentre.

She asked residents of the Pandikkad neighborhood and the surrounding hospitals to abstain from visiting hospital patients and to cover their faces when in public.

“A three-km radius from the epicentre at Pandikkad will be strictly observed and restrictions will be imposed,” George stated.

The private hospital in Kozhikode notified the state health authorities on Friday about the possible Nipah infection.

The department moved quickly, sending the samples to the virology institute in Pune as well as testing them in laboratories in Kerala.  It also advised against eating fruits that had been partially consumed or bitten by animals or birds.

“Only consume fruits that have been well cleaned. Drinks like toddy that are kept in open containers should not be consumed “it stated.

Nipah outbreaks have been documented in the districts of Kozhikode in 2018, 2021, and 2023, as well as in Ernakulam in 2019. Nipah virus antibodies have also been found in bats in the districts of Kozhikode, Wayanad, Idukki, Malappuram, and Ernakulam. At least 17 persons in Kerala lost their lives as a result of contracting the Nipah virus in 2018.

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