New Delhi

The southern Indian state of Kerala has reported five cases of the deadly Nipah virus so far. On Thursday (September 14), Kerala's Health Minister Veena George said, "Since yesterday, we have started contact tracing and 706 people are on the contact list."

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The virus has claimed two lives in the state so far. The state government, meanwhile, has announced the closure of all educational institutions in Kozhikode district on Thursday as well as Friday. 

As per the World Health Organization (WHO), the Nipah virus is caused by fruit bats and is potentially fatal to humans as well as animals. The virus spreads via contact with the bodily fluids of infected bats, pigs or people. 

Here's a look at the top updates:

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> The Nipah virus has killed two people in Kerala's Kozhikode. This is the fourth outbreak of the virus in the state since 2018. According to a report by the news agency Reuters, a government official said that the first victim was a small landholder growing bananas and areca nuts in the Kozhikode village of Maruthonkara. 

> The second death followed contact in hospital with the first victim but the two were not related, the official added. The first victim's daughter and brother-in-law, both infected, were in an isolation ward of a hospital, while other family members and neighbours were being tested.

> On Wednesday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said more people could be tested for the virus, adding isolation facilities would be provided. Chief Minister Vijayan urged Kozhikode's residents to avoid public gatherings in the district for the next 10 days. 

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> Of the 706 people in the state government's contact tracing list, 153 were health workers health workers. Health Minister George said on Thursday that 77 of the total 706 were at a high risk of getting infected. 

> "Public movement has been restricted in parts of the state to contain the medical crisis," George told reporters on Wednesday. 

> All educational institutions in Kozhikode will remain closed on Thursday and Friday, and strict isolation rules have been adopted, with medical staff being quarantined after contact with the infected.

> Earlier, Kerala's neighbouring state Tamil Nadu announced that travellers coming from Kerala would be subjected to medical tests and those with flu symptoms would be isolated.

(With inputs from agencies)

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