Key Points

Kerala health officials are closely monitoring 648 potential Nipah virus contacts across multiple districts. The state removed 33 people from watchlists after completing isolation periods. Special teams are tracking high-risk groups through fever surveillance and mobile data. Health Minister Veena George has alerted hospitals in six districts for symptom reporting.

Key Points: Kerala Nipah Outbreak 648 Under Surveillance as 33 Removed

  • 421 contacts tracked in Palakkad amid second Nipah death
  • 97 samples test negative in Malappuram district
  • 30 high-risk cases under strict surveillance
  • ICMR team assesses Kerala outbreak response
2 min read

Nipah surveillance: 33 removed from contact list in Kerala as 648 remain under watch

Kerala monitors 648 Nipah contacts as 33 complete isolation. Health Minister Veena George intensifies fever surveillance in 6 districts.

"Field-level activities intensified with mobile tower tracking for outbreak control – Health Minister Veena George"

Thiruvananthapuram, July 18

A total of 648 people are currently on the Nipah virus contact list across several districts in Kerala, as per a statement from the office of State Health Minister Veena George.

Of the total, 421 are from Palakkad, 110 from Malappuram, 115 from Kozhikode, and one each from Ernakulam and Thrissur districts. This also includes 17 people who remain in isolation in Palakkad.

In Malappuram, 13 people are currently under isolation. The district has so far reported 97 sample tests, all of which have returned negative.

Notably, 21 people from Malappuram and 12 from Palakkad have completed their isolation period and have been removed from the contact list, the statement read.

Across the state, 30 people are under the "highest risk surveillance" category, while 97 others have been identified as part of the high-risk group, it added.

Meanwhile, Health Minister George has also directed the One Health Centre for Nipah Research to document all matters related to the outbreak. Notably, an ICMR team visited Malappuram to assess the situation.

On July 14, Kerala's Palakkad district reported a second Nipah case after a 58-year-old man from Kumaramputhur near Mannarkkad tested positive for the virus following his demise at a private hospital in Perinthalmanna.

According to officials, field-level activities have been intensified in the area. Fever surveillance is also continuing. Further monitoring will be carried out, including the mobile tower location. The minister also directed the team to be strengthened in case another case is found.

Ten people are currently under treatment in Malappuram, of whom two are in intensive care. The state has now categorised 36 individuals as being in the highest-risk group and 128 under high-risk monitoring.

An alert has also been issued to hospitals in 6 districts in the wake of the second Nipah case.

A special alert has been issued to hospitals in Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur, Wayanad and Thrissur districts along with directions to report any case of fever or encephalitis with Nipah symptoms.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
As someone who visited Kerala last month, I'm impressed by their surveillance system. But shouldn't there be more public awareness campaigns about Nipah symptoms? Many tourists like me wouldn't know what to watch for.
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Arjun K
The mobile tower location tracking is a smart move! But what about privacy concerns? There should be clear guidelines on how this data will be used and when it will be deleted.
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Priya S
My cousin is one of the healthcare workers in Palakkad. The teams are working 24/7 with full PPE kits in this heat. Salute to their dedication! 👏 We common people should cooperate fully with restrictions.
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Vikram M
After COVID and now Nipah, we need permanent disease surveillance infrastructure in all states. Central government should allocate special funds for this instead of waiting for outbreaks to happen.
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Nisha Z
Why only 6 districts under alert? Nipah can spread fast. My suggestion - all neighboring states should also increase surveillance. We learned this lesson the hard way during COVID's second wave.

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