Centre Asks Kerala Govt To Immediately Implement Public Health Measures To Control The Spread Of Nipah Virus

The Centre has advised Kerala government to implement immediate public health measures to control the spread of Nipah virus. A 14-year-old boy from Malappuram district, who was undergoing treatment for Nipah virus infection, passed away on Sunday. A multi-member joint outbreak response team from the National One Health Mission of the Union Health Ministry will be deployed to support the state in investigating the case, identifying epidemiological linkages, and providing technical assistance. 

The Ministry



mentioned that outbreaks of Nipah Virus Disease have occurred in Kerala previously, with the most recent one in 2023 in the Kozhikode district. Fruit bats are the typical reservoir of the virus, and humans can become infected by inadvertently consuming bat-contaminated fruits. The Center has advised the state to implement public health measures, such as active contact tracing over the past 12 days, strict quarantine of contacts associated with the case, and isolation of any suspected cases.