The Kerala health minister has reported that 175 individuals in Malappuram district have been identified in connection with the recent Nipah virus outbreak. Among these, 74 are healthcare workers. Of the 175 individuals, 126 are on the primary contact list, with 104 considered high-risk, while 49 are secondary contacts. Authorities are treating ten people at Manjeri Medical College Hospital. Testing is underway for 13 individuals, with results pending. This follows the death of a 24-year-old man from Nipah virus on September 9.

Previous outbreaks since 2018 have already affected the state, with the first death of 2024 recorded on July 21. Bats in Kozhikode, Wayanad, Idukki, Malappuram, and Ernakulam districts have been found carrying Nipah virus antibodies. Fruit bats naturally host the virus, which can then spread to humans, leading to person-to-person transmission. To control the virus spread, five wards in Malappuram have been declared containment zones. “All shops in these zones will close by 7 pm,” the health minister announced. Public places like cinema halls, schools, colleges, Madrassas, anganwadis, and tuition centers remain closed. People are advised not to gather in large numbers and to wear masks in public. Restrictions on the number of participants in events like weddings and funerals have also been put in place.