Son of deceased Nipah victim tests positive in Palakkad

Malappuram: The son of the man who passed away from Nipah infection two days ago tested positive for the virus at the Govt Medical College Hospital Manjeri, on Wednesday. The 32-year-old man had accompanied his father to the hospital. He had been on the contact list and developed symptoms while under observation.               

The father, a 58-year-old resident of Mannarkkad, had died at a private hospital in Perinthalmanna. Preliminary testing confirmed Nipah, prompting immediate containment measures. Authorities enforced a three-kilometre radius lockdown around his residence and declared containment zones. All identified contacts have been asked to remain in quarantine. The Health Department continues to monitor the situation closely, with testing and surveillance intensified in high-risk areas.

Health Minister Veena George stated that precautionary measures have been intensified following the son's infection. His contact route map and family tree have been prepared and psychological support will be offered to the affected family and others in need. As of now, 723 people are on the Nipah contact list across districts. Among them, 51 are contacts of the new case. District-wise figures include 212 in Malappuram, 394 in Palakkad, 114 in Kozhikode, 2 in Ernakulam and 1 in Thrissur.

Currently, 10 people are under isolation and treatment in Malappuram, where 84 samples have tested negative. In Palakkad, 7 people are undergoing treatment. Across Kerala, 38 people are under the highest-risk monitoring and 142 are being observed as high-risk cases.

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.