Kerala: 24-year-old man dies of Nipah in Malappuram, second death this year from virus

The Kerala government on Sunday confirmed that the Nipah virus was the reason for the death of 24-year-old man in Malappuram district earlier this month. This is the second death of the year due to the virus in the state.

The man, who was from Wandoor in the district, died on September 9 after showing encephalitis symptoms, The Indian Express reported. He was a student in Bengaluru.

The state health department said that samples were sent to the virology lab at the Medical College Hospital in Kozhikode following the man’s death. The test results returned positive on Saturday, The Hindu reported.

On Sunday, the National Institute of Virology in Pune confirmed that the man died of the Nipah virus. The Kerala government said that 151 persons had been identified as the man’s primary contacts.

The man had sought treatment in four private hospitals and had also travelled to certain places with his friends. “The information of all of them has been collected and those who came in direct contact have been transferred to isolation,” the health department said.

The statement added that five persons among those in the contact list who had shown mild symptoms had been isolated. “Samples were sent for testing,” it added.

“Efforts are in the final stages to conduct contact tracing and surveillance of all those who are at risk...

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