A teenager who was undergoing treatment for Nipah virus infection in Kerala is dead, the state’s Health Minister Veena George said on Sunday. Earlier, the Kerala reported first case of Nipah virus in the country this season with the state administration taking steps to prevent the outbreak of disease in the state.
The cremation of 14-year-old boy who hails from Malappuram district will be done as per the protocol. Reports said three people of the deceased boy’s family are in isolation at Kozhikode Medical College.
Earlier, the state’s health minister Veena George has convened a high-level meeting to take steps to prevent a Nipah outbreak in the state.
The meeting was convened in the wake of an outbreak of the virus infection that was suspected in northern Malappuram district, reported PTI.
Later, Veena George said the Class 9 student, a resident of Pandikkad in Malappuram district, has been put on life support at a private hospital in Kozhikode as he his condition was "critical".
“His test reports from the Kozhikode laboratory, Kerala, have confirmed Nipah infection in his samples. Later, the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune also confirmed this,” Veena George said.
Earlier, reports said a boy from Malappuram, who is under treatment in a private hospital in neighbouring Kozhikode, was suspected to have symptoms of Nipah and his samples were sent to a central lab for a detailed scientific examination.
According to the state Health Minister's office, before the final test results were received, the steps as per the Nipah protocol were already initiated.
The state’s health ministry said the steps would be coordinated according to the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) formulated as per the government order with regard to Nipah prevention.
Reportedly, the health minister would reach Malappuram soon and lead the Nipah prevention activities.
Earlier, the state government had announced recently that a special action calendar was being prepared for the prevention of a Nipah outbreak, which has haunted the state on four occasions in the past.
Kerala Nipah outbreaks: The Nipah outbreaks have been reported in Kozhikode district in 2018, 2021, and 2023, and in Ernakulam district in 2019, and the presence of
Nipah virus antibodies had been detected in bats in Kozhikode, Wayanad, Idukki, Malappuram, and Ernakulam districts.
What is Nipah? According to World Health Organisation(WHO), Nipah virus (NiV) is a zoonotic virus. The virus as per WHO is transmitted from animals to humans. The agency also says the virus can also be transmitted through contaminated food or directly between people.
WHO says in infected people, it causes a range of illnesses from asymptomatic (subclinical) infection to acute respiratory illness and fatal encephalitis. The virus can also cause severe disease in animals such as pigs, resulting in significant economic losses for farmers.
