The Kerala government has imposed strict containment measures in parts of Malappuram district following the death of a 24-year-old due to Nipah virus infection on September 9. Authorities have declared five wards in two panchayats as containment zones and issued directives to prevent large gatherings.
Shops in the affected areas must close by 7 pm, while cinema halls, schools, colleges, madrassas, anganwadis, and tuition centers will remain closed. Additionally, partial restrictions have been implemented across the district, requiring people to wear masks in public and limiting the number of attendees at weddings, funerals, and other gatherings.
State Health Minister Veena George confirmed that 175 individuals are on the contact list of the deceased, including 74 health workers. Of the contacts, 126 are classified as primary, with 104 considered high-risk. Ten people are currently undergoing treatment at Manjeri Medical College Hospital, and 13 samples have been sent for testing.
The health department has deployed 66 teams, initiating fever surveys within a three-kilometer radius of the deceased’s residence.
This marks the second Nipah-related death in Malappuram this year, following a boy’s death in July. Kerala has previously experienced outbreaks of the Nipah virus, notably in Kozhikode in 2018, 2021, and 2023, as well as in Ernakulam in 2019.
(With inputs from agency)