Nipah Virus: 14-Year-Old Malappuram Boy Dies; 330 Contacts Identified, 101 High-Risk, Says Health Minister

A 14-year-old boy from Kerala's Malappuram, who was being treated for a Nipah infection, died on Sunday. According to Health Minister Veena George, the samples of six friends of the deceased boy and a 68-year-old man have tested negative. Currently, there are 330 people in the contact list out of which 68 are health workers, she added.

The minister said, "while the six friends were in direct contact with the deceased boy, the 68-year-old man was not. His sample was tested because he was having fever."

"There are 101 people in the high-risk category, and seven of them have been admitted to the hospital for treatment. None of the family members of the deceased boy are showing any symptoms," Health Minister Veena George stated. She added that a detailed route map of the boy will be released soon, urging anyone who suspects they have come into contact with him to contact the health department and seek treatment.

On Sunday, the health department conducted a fever survey in 307 houses in the Pandikkad panchayat, the epicenter of the disease, identifying 18 fever cases. In the Anakkayam panchayat, 10 fever cases were reported from a survey of 310 houses. Health Minister Veena George noted that none of these people were on the contact list of the deceased boy. She also mentioned that the mobile laboratory from Pune's National Institute of Virology (NIV) will arrive in Kerala on Monday. Additionally, the health department has instructed that seat allotments for Plus One students in the district, scheduled for Monday, must strictly follow protocol.

Nipah outbreaks were reported in Kozhikode district in 2018, 2021, and 2023, and in Ernakulam district in 2019. Antibodies indicating the presence of the Nipah virus have been detected in bats in the districts of Kozhikode, Wayanad, Idukki, Malappuram, and Ernakulam.