Nipah Virus Returns: 38-Year-Old Woman Tests Positive in Kerala’s Palakkad

A 38-year-old woman from Nattukkal in Kerala's Palakkad district has been diagnosed with the Nipah virus. She is receiving treatment at a private hospital in Perinthalmanna, Malappuram district. Health officials have heightened surveillance and designated specific areas as containment zones to curb the spread of the virus.

The woman's samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune for confirmation. Muhammed Saleem KP, president of the local panchayat, confirmed her positive test result. He stated that ward number 8 and parts of other wards within a three-kilometre radius have been declared containment zones.

Containment Measures and Contact Tracing

District health authorities have identified locations the woman visited before testing positive. They are tracing her contacts to prevent further transmission. An official mentioned that around 100 individuals might be high-risk contacts of the infected patient.

State health minister Veena George shared that protocols for handling Nipah virus cases were already in place in Malappuram, Palakkad, and Kozhikode districts. "As part of the protocols, 26 teams have been formed in each region for contact tracing, monitoring symptoms of quarantined people and informing the public," she said.

Nipah Virus: A Persistent Threat

The Nipah virus originates from fruit bats and animals like pigs. It can cause severe brain-swelling fever in humans. The World Health Organisation classifies it as a priority pathogen due to its epidemic potential. There is no vaccine or specific treatment available yet.

Symptoms include fever, headache, cough, sore throat, vomiting, and disorientation. The mortality rate ranges from 40% to 75%. Kerala has faced recurring outbreaks since 2018. In that year alone, 17 people died during an outbreak.

Past Outbreaks in Kerala

In 2019, only one case was reported, and the patient recovered. A 12-year-old boy succumbed to the infection in 2021. The outbreak in 2023 resulted in eight confirmed cases with two fatalities. In 2024, two deaths occurred due to the virus.

Most recently, a 42-year-old woman tested positive for Nipah virus in May this year but recovered successfully. Despite these challenges, health officials continue to implement measures to control future outbreaks effectively.