Nipah alert issued in 3 Kerala districts after two suspected cases

The second patient, a woman from Malappuram, is undergoing treatment for suspected symptoms at the Government Medical College Hospital in Kozhikode.
The second patient, a woman from Malappuram, is undergoing treatment for suspected symptoms at the Government Medical College Hospital in Kozhikode.
The second patient, a woman from Malappuram, is undergoing treatment for suspected symptoms at the Government Medical College Hospital in Kozhikode.
Thiruvananthapuram: The Health Department has issued an alert in Kozhikode, Malappuram, and Palakkad districts after two suspected Nipah virus cases were reported in the state, Health Minister Veena George said on Thursday. The cases involve a woman from Palakkad and another from Malappuram.
Preliminary tests conducted at the Kozhikode and Malappuram medical colleges indicated possible Nipah infections. Following protocol, samples have been sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune for confirmation. The government has directed immediate implementation of preventive measures, even before the test results are out.
The Health Department has sought ethics committee approval to administer monoclonal antibody treatment to the 38-year-old woman from Palakkad, currently under care at a private hospital in Perinthalmanna. She had earlier sought treatment at multiple hospitals, including facilities in Mannarkkad, Palode, and Karinkalathanni. More than 100 people have been identified as high-risk contacts in her case.
As a precaution, the government has declared Wards 7, 8, 9, and 11 of Thachanattukkara Grama Panchayat, along with Wards 17 and 18 of Karimbuzha Panchayat in Palakkad, as containment zones.
Meanwhile, the second patient, a woman from Malappuram, is undergoing treatment for suspected symptoms at the Government Medical College Hospital in Kozhikode. In response to the evolving situation, 26 rapid response teams have been set up in each of the three affected districts to carry out contact tracing, symptom monitoring, and public awareness campaigns. Police assistance is being sought to help identify and track potential contacts.
District collectors have been instructed to set up containment zones and make public announcements to ensure compliance with safety protocols. State and local helplines are also being activated to assist the public.
“We have already strengthened preventive measures in line with Nipah protocol,” said Minister Veena George after chairing an emergency high-level meeting in the state capital. She added that all hospitals have been alerted and surveillance has been intensified.
Health officials have been directed to investigate any unexplained or unnatural deaths reported in recent weeks, as such incidents can be early indicators of an outbreak. Another high-level meeting, chaired by the minister, will be held later this evening to review the situation and coordinate further action.