Kerala is on high alert after a 14-year-old boy tested positive for the Nipah virus in Malappuram district. The state’s Health Minister, Veena George, held an urgent meeting on Saturday to discuss measures to prevent a potential outbreak. The boy, who is currently under treatment and on a ventilator, is expected to be shifted to the government medical college at Kozhikode. Contact tracing has begun, and high-risk contacts have been isolated and their samples sent for testing.
The Health Department has identified Pandikkad as the epicenter of the outbreak and initiated several precautionary measures. Residents and nearby hospitals have been instructed to wear masks in public spaces and avoid visiting patients in hospitals. A three-kilometer radius from the epicenter has been declared a strict observation zone with restrictions imposed. A 24-hour control room with a call center has also been set up in Malappuram.
The minister announced that monoclonal antibodies from Australia, currently stored at Pune NIV, will arrive in Kerala on Sunday. The Health Department has prepared 30 isolation rooms and a six-bed ICU at Manjeri Medical College.
The state government is taking decisive action to prevent a widespread outbreak. Following the confirmed case, the Health Department has been diligently working to trace the source of the infection and identify all potential contacts. The department has also deployed mobile labs and is utilizing the expertise of the virology institute in Pune.
The recent Nipah case has triggered a sense of concern as it marks the fourth outbreak in Kerala since 2018. Previous outbreaks occurred in Kozhikode in 2018, 2021, and 2023, and in Ernakulam in 2019. The state government has implemented a special action plan to prevent future outbreaks.
Wayanad District Medical Officer P. Dinish has urged residents to remain vigilant and follow health guidelines. All health centers in the district have been instructed to enhance epidemic surveillance activities. The state government and health authorities are working tirelessly to contain the situation and prevent further spread of the Nipah virus.
