Central Govt Deploys Team to Kerala for Nipah Virus Investigation

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 22nd July. The Central government will deploy a multi-member joint outbreak response team to support Kerala in investigating a Nipah virus case detected in the Mallapuram district. The team will help identify epidemiological linkages and provide technical assistance, according to a statement from the Union Health Ministry on Sunday.

The ministry reported that a 14-year-old boy from Mallapuram exhibited acute encephalitis syndrome and was initially admitted to a healthcare facility in Perinthalmanna before being transferred to a higher health centre in Kozhikode, where he succumbed to the disease. Samples from the deceased confirmed Nipah virus infection, as tested by the National Institute of Virology in Pune.

Fruit bats are the usual reservoir of the virus, and humans can become infected by accidentally consuming bat-contaminated fruits.

The ministry has advised Kerala to implement public health measures immediately, including an active case search in the boy’s family, neighbourhood, and areas with similar topography. The state has also been advised to trace individuals who had contact with the patient in the last 12 days, enforce strict quarantine for them, and isolate suspects.

The multi-member joint outbreak response team from the ‘One Health’ mission will assist Kerala in the investigation and provide technical support. Additionally, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) sent monoclonal antibodies for patient management at the state’s request, but they could not be used due to the boy’s poor general condition.

A mobile BSL-3 laboratory for testing samples from patient contacts has arrived in Kozhikode to aid in the containment efforts.