Health authorities in Kerala are on high alert after a fresh suspected case of Nipah virus infection was reported in Kozhikode on Wednesday.

The patient, a 43-year-old resident of Feroke, was admitted to a private hospital with symptoms consistent with Nipah virus infection. Preliminary tests conducted at Kozhikode Medical College Hospital indicated the presence of the virus, and samples have been sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, for confirmatory testing. The final results are expected on Thursday.

According to health officials, the patient is currently on ventilator support and remains under close medical observation. Authorities suspect he may have contracted the virus while performing cleaning work at a godown reportedly inhabited by birds and bats, which are considered potential carriers of the disease.

Health Minister K Muraleedharan said officials have begun preparing the patient's route map and tracing all possible contacts as part of the state's containment protocol. The patient is expected to be shifted to Kozhikode Medical College Hospital for further treatment.

Health officials revealed that the man had initially sought treatment for a fever at a hospital and returned home a few days ago. As he was a regular consumer of alcohol, relatives reportedly suspected withdrawal symptoms when his condition worsened and later admitted him to a de-addiction centre. This has raised concerns among health authorities, who believe the patient may have come into contact with many people during this period. Extensive contact tracing is therefore being undertaken.

The minister stressed that there is no immediate cause for panic and assured the public that all necessary preventive measures have been activated. Surveillance and precautionary steps have been initiated in accordance with Kerala's established Nipah response protocol. The Minister will convene a high-level meeting to discuss the situation on Thursday.

Kerala has witnessed several outbreaks of the deadly zoonotic disease since Nipah was first reported in the state in 2018. The first outbreak, centred in Kozhikode and Malappuram districts, claimed 17 lives and triggered one of the largest public health responses in the state's history.

Subsequent cases were reported in Kozhikode in 2021, when a 12-year-old boy died of the infection, and again in 2023, when two deaths were confirmed, prompting extensive contact tracing and containment measures.

In 2024, Malappuram reported two Nipah-related deaths. A 14-year-old boy from Pandikkad succumbed to the infection in July, while a 24-year-old man from Wandoor died in September after testing positive for the virus. In both instances, health authorities launched intensive surveillance and monitored hundreds of contacts to prevent further transmission.

Nipah virus is a highly fatal zoonotic disease transmitted primarily through fruit bats, its natural reservoir. Human infection can occur through contact with infected animals, consumption of contaminated fruits or contaminated palm sap, or through close contact with infected persons. The disease can cause severe respiratory illness and encephalitis and is known for its high mortality rate.