Initial tests have suggested Nipah virus infection in a 43-year-old businessman in Kerala. The patient is in critical condition and on a ventilator. Samples have been sent to NIV, Pune for final confirmation. The health department has identified contacts and initiated surveillance and isolation.
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Kozhikode (Kerala): The health department in Kerala has been put on high alert after a suspected case of Nipah virus infection was reported. Initial tests of a 43-year-old man admitted to the Government Medical College in Kozhikode have indicated Nipah virus infection. His samples have been sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune for final confirmation, and the report is awaited.
Patient in critical condition
Health officials said the patient, a businessman from the Farook area, remains in critical condition and is currently on a ventilator. He was initially treated at a private hospital but was later admitted to the Government Medical College.
Anticipating the spread of the infection, the health department has begun the process of identifying and isolating those who came into contact with the patient. According to officials, the patient had come into contact with many people in recent days, so the contact list could be quite long.
Health Minister K. Muraleedharan said the patient had previously visited a hospital outpatient department (OPD). He had also undergone tests such as an MRI and echocardiography. As a precaution, health workers and others who came into contact with him are being monitored.
Symptoms of Nipah virus are visible
The minister said that Kozhikode health officials have been instructed to be on high alert. He said that initial tests and the patient’s symptoms point to Nipah infection, but a final decision will be taken only after the NIV report is received.
Officials suspect the patient may have contracted the infection while cleaning a warehouse he had recently rented. It is reported that he cleaned the warehouse himself. Nipah virus is usually spread by fruit-eating bats, and several cases have been reported in Kerala since 2018.
The minister urged people to exercise caution rather than panic. He stated that the medical college has essential medicines and other healthcare facilities available. The health department is continuously monitoring the situation and is working to trace all those who came into contact with the patient.
He also said that he will review the entire matter by holding a meeting with the health officials and further strategy will be decided after receiving the final report from NIV.
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