Kerala is placing health authorities on alert after a suspected Nipah virus case is identified in Kozhikode. According to officials, a preliminary test on a patient in the district returns positive for Nipah. The patient is reported to be severely ill and requiring ventilator support, and has symptoms including fever. Health authorities confirm that samples are sent for confirmatory testing, with results expected shortly from the National Institute of Virology in Pune.
Public health teams are also conducting contact tracing. Authorities report identifying 77 people who may have had exposure, including healthcare workers and close family members. These contacts are being monitored as part of the response while confirmatory laboratory results are pending. The state’s health minister and district officials are coordinating efforts to manage potential exposure and ensure that appropriate surveillance and infection control measures are in place.
