Nipah virus threat re-emerges in Kerala, at least 188 people under observation

The death of a 12-year-old boy due to the Nipah virus has sent alarm bells ringing with the State Health Minister Veena George stating that the authorities are geared up to monitor any potential spread of the virus in Kozhikode and surrounding areas.

Nipah virus is threatening to put Kerala's already-stretched health infrastructure under stress once again.

The death of a 12-year-old boy due to the Nipah virus has sent alarm bells ringing with the State Health Minister Veena George stating that the authorities are geared up to monitor any potential spread of the virus in Kozhikode and surrounding areas.

All primary and secondary contacts of the deceased boy have been identified and isolated, the minister said, adding that efforts are on trace the origin of the virus.

The central government had already sent a team to the state to review the situation.

Around 188 people who were in contact with the boy are under observation. Out of these 20 people are believed to be in serious condition. 

The samples of 20 other contacts who had been showing slight symptoms of the Nipah virus infection had been sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune on Sunday. Their reports are expected later today.

Meanwhile, all the wards near the virus spot named Chathamangalam in Kozhikode have been sealed off. 

The National Centre for Disease Control and the state health department officials will be meeting today after conducting inspections in and around Chathamangalam.

The last time around when the Nipah virus struck Kerala in 2018, the origin was traced back to the fruit bat. However, there is no clarity yet on whether this time too the fruit bat had a role to play in the re-emergence of the virus.

Clarity on the factors that led to the re-emergence of the Nipah virus is likely to emerge in the next 24 hours.