In the latest update given by Kerala Health Minister Veena George, a total of 675 people are currently on the Nipah contact list across the state. Of these, 178 individuals are linked to the second Nipah case reported from Palakkad district.

According to the state health department, the current distribution of contacts is as follows: 210 in Malappuram district, 347 in Palakkad, 115 in Kozhikode, two in Ernakulam, and one in Thrissur.

Earlier this week, Kerala reported a second Nipah virus death, this time from the Mannarkkad area in Palakkad. A 50-year-old man died after experiencing severe respiratory distress, with initial tests confirming Nipah infection. This follows an earlier death in Malappuram, in addition to other cases reported this year.

So far, the health department has stated that one person in Malappuram is undergoing treatment in the ICU, and 82 samples have tested negative in the district. Separately, 12 individuals in Palakkad are being treated in isolation, and five have been discharged. In 2024, a man died of complications due to Nipah virus infection.

At present, a total of 38 people in the state are under observation in the highest risk category, and 139 in the high risk category.

Since the death due to Nipah infection was reported, six districts in Kerala — Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Thrissur, Kannur, and Wayanad — have been placed on high alert. Health officials have intensified surveillance, containment measures, and contact tracing.

Meanwhile, masks have been made mandatory in Malappuram. Hospitals have been advised to limit the number of bystanders and ensure that patients, bystanders, and staff wear masks. Additionally, hospitals in affected districts have been instructed to report any cases of fever with Nipah-like symptoms or encephalitis.

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