Nipah death in Kerala triggers aggressive surveillance; over 112 people had contact with patient

In India's Kerala, health authorities have intensified ward-level surveillance and launched a high-alert contact-tracing operation after the state reported its second Nipah virus death in two weeks, officials confirmed on Monday. The latest death, of a 57-year-old man from Kumaramputhur near Mannarkkad in Palakkad district, happened on July 12. The patient, as per reports, succumbed to the deadly virus at a private hospital in Perinthalmanna. His test results returned Nipah positive late Sunday night, prompting a rapid rollout of containment protocols, including CCTV-assisted contact tracing and a "route map" to track potential exposures.

Over 600 people exposed to Nipah, fresh containment zone declared

As per reports, so far, four Nipah cases have been reported in the state this year, including two deaths, one recovery, and one patient under treatment. According to Kerala Health Minister Veena George, authorities have identified 609 individuals who came into contact with confirmed cases. Fever surveillance in the region has been ramped up, especially in affected wards and clinics.

The 57-year-old's death is being treated as a "fresh case", as he had "no contact" with previously confirmed Nipah cases, said a district health official, as reported by ANI. "His death is being treated as a fresh case because he had no contact with the earlier Nipah cases reported in the last two months. The 57-year-old began experiencing symptoms, especially fever, on July 6 and we have found that he visited at least three clinics and tertiary hospitals before seeking treatment at the private hospital where he eventually died. We have published a route map of all the places he had visited with the timeline and we are getting a lot of calls in the control room".

The unidentified patient reportedly began showing symptoms on July 6 and visited multiple clinics and tertiary hospitals before his condition deteriorated. So far, 112 people who had primary or secondary contact with the patient have been identified. These people are now being put under quarantine, the patient's home ward has been declared a containment zone. "With the help of CCTV cameras in places he visited and the outpatient registers of the hospitals he went to, we have compiled a list. Those persons are being put under quarantine. The municipal ward where the deceased’s home is located has been declared a containment zone. Fever surveillance has begun in the area," said the official. Kerala's Malappuram district, where the first Nipah death this month occurred—an 18-year-old woman—is also under high alert.

Is jackfruit the cause?

Officials suspect the man may have contracted the virus after eating a jackfruit from his plantation in Agali, possibly contaminated by fruit bat secretions, a known transmission route. "There are reports that he ate a piece of jackfruit that had fallen on the ground while visiting his plantation in Agali on June 30. The jackfruit might have been bitten by bats. There is no concrete evidence yet."

As per District Medical Officer R Renuka, hospitals were conducting routine screening for Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) cases to catch potential infections early. "We have been looking out for AES and ARDS cases for quite some time. Instructions have been given to all hospitals to look at the viral panel in these cases. Apart from Nipah, it could be influenza or H1N1 cases as well. Since this period is particularly a breeding season of the bats, we have been taking more care," she said.