Two unnatural fever-related deaths in a private hospital in Kozhikode, prompted the state government to issue a suspected Nipah virus alert in the district. The deceased individuals, aged 40 and 49, hailed from the Maruthonkara and Thiruvallor regions respectively. The first death occurred on August 30, while the second took place on Monday. Additionally, a nine-year-old boy, closely related to one of the deceased, is in a critical condition. Other relatives of the deceased are also ill and currently hospitalised.
The state Health Minister Veena George stated, "Based on these observations, the government has ordered immediate surveillance."
"During the initial contact tracing, suspicions arose that this could be a case of Nipah virus. Consequently, we conducted all possible preliminary tests within the state. However, only the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune has the capability to perform the necessary examinations and confirm officially whether it is indeed Nipah. No other institution can provide official confirmation. Therefore, we have taken steps to send the samples to NIV Pune. It was under these circumstances that the second death occurred last night. We have identified that the two individuals had contact at the hospital and various other locations. Consequently, we have initiated comprehensive surveillance and convened an emergency high-level meeting of the state health department. All top officials are currently in Kozhikode to coordinate our efforts,” the minister explained.
In 2018, Kerala had experienced a Nipah virus outbreak, with the first case reported in Kozhikode. It was the first Nipah virus outbreak in South India. The two districts affected during the outbreak were Kozhikode and Malappuram. A total of 17 fatalities occurred, and over 2,000 individuals in Kozhikode and Malappuram districts were placed under observation throughout the outbreak.
The Nipah outbreak in Kerala in May 2018 was the third Nipah virus outbreak in India, with previous occurrences in 2001 and 2007, both in West Bengal.
To assess the current situation, a meeting will be held at the Kozhikode collectorate, in which top health officials, including the director of health services and the director of medical education, will be present.
As of now, there is no confirmation of whether this is another Nipah outbreak in the state. The minister explained, "This meeting aims to determine the necessary steps in case the outbreak is confirmed. Since the deceased received care at the hospital, many individuals may have been in contact with them. Therefore, our immediate focus is on effective contact tracing and implementing emergency measures to elevate the entire health system's preparedness in the district. Both government-run and private health facilities are on high alert. Those who had contact will be categorised based on their risk level. While we hope for results from NIV to be negative, we must remain prepared for any situation.”
