A 24-year-old man died at a private hospital in Malappuram, Kerala, on September 9 due to a Nipah virus infection. The infection was confirmed only after his death. During the investigation into the cause of death, a Regional Medical Officer suspected Nipah infection and sent the patient’s samples to Kozhikode Medical College and the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, for detailed analysis. While the Kozhikode Medical College indicated a positive result, NIV confirmed the Nipah infection on September 15.
The patient, a native of Malappuram, had recently returned from Bengaluru before his hospitalization. Following the confirmation of Nipah, Kerala’s Health Ministry swiftly formed 16 committees to investigate the case. The investigation found that the patient had traveled to various places with his friends. They also identified 151 individuals who had come into contact with the…
