Kozhikode: Kerala is on high alert after a 43-year-old man from Feroke, near here, tested positive for Nipah virus infection on Thursday. The state health department officials have launched emergency containment and contact-tracing measures across the district.
The patient, who is undergoing treatment at Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital, had earlier tested positive in a preliminary examination conducted at the hospital laboratory. The positive result has now been confirmed, prompting the health department to intensify surveillance and preventive measures.
Health officials have begun preparing an extensive contact list and directed close contacts of the patient to remain under observation and quarantine. Authorities are also investigating the source of the infection and whether the patient is the index case.
The patient has been shifted to a special isolation ward at the medical college and is currently on ventilator support. Hospital sources said his condition remains critical.
A week ago, he was admitted to a private hospital in the city with high fever and symptoms of encephalitis, a rare, life-threatening inflammation of the brain. His condition worsened while undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit.
As Nipah infection was suspected on Tuesday evening, he was shifted to special observation and later transferred to Kozhikode Medical College around midnight.
The patient was admitted to the same special ward that had been used during previous Nipah outbreaks in the district. Swab samples have been sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune for final confirmation.
The infected man works as a cleaner and had recently cleaned an old building in Feroke. Health officials suspect he may have contracted the virus through exposure to bats present there.
ఇవి కూడా చదవండి
The patient had earlier sought treatment at a private hospital for other health issues before returning home. Later, he developed severe symptoms, including fainting. Since he was a regular alcohol user, relatives reportedly mistook the symptoms for alcohol withdrawal and admitted him to a de-addiction centre.
As he visited multiple hospitals and stayed at a de-addiction centre, health authorities fear that he may have come into contact with a large number of people. The health department has started preparing an extensive contact list and directed close contacts and relatives to enter quarantine immediately.
Health Minister To Chair High-Level Meeting
Following the development, Health Minister K Muraleedharan held discussions with experts at the medical college. The patient was shifted to the facility only after all necessary arrangements for Nipah treatment were put in place.
A high-level meeting chaired by the Health Minister will be held today to assess the situation. Strict restrictions have been imposed at the medical college and surrounding areas, and public access to the campus has been restricted.
As Nipah has been reported in Kozhikode earlier in 2021, 2023, and 2025, preventive measures under the existing protocol have already been activated.
Nipah is a highly fatal zoonotic viral disease that spreads from animals, mainly bats and pigs, to humans. Infection can occur through fruits bitten by bats or food and drinks contaminated by their saliva or urine.
Common symptoms include high fever, body pain, severe headache, fatigue, cough, sore throat, breathing difficulty and diarrhoea. In severe cases, patients may develop vomiting, disorientation, seizures and unconsciousness due to brain inflammation.
Health experts have advised all close contacts of patients to strictly use PPE (personal protective equipment) kits, masks and sanitisers. Authorities have also urged the public to be cautious about exposure to bats, particularly during the May-June season when fruits such as rambutan are abundant.
