Nipah Outbreak: 675 Individuals on Contact List Across Kerala; High-Level Meeting Held
Health Department Intensifies Surveillance as Cases Emerge in Palakkad and Malappuram
Kerala’s Health Department has announced that a total of 675 individuals are on the Nipah contact list across various districts in the state. Of these, 178 people are contacts of the second Nipah-positive individual reported in Palakkad.
The district-wise breakdown of contacts is as follows:
- Malappuram: 210 individuals
- Palakkad: 347 individuals
- Kozhikode: 115 individuals
- Ernakulam: 2 individuals
- Thrissur: 1 individual
In Malappuram, 13 individuals are currently receiving treatment in the ICU. So far, 82 samples from the district have tested negative for Nipah. In Palakkad, 12 people are in isolation, and 5 have been discharged from the hospital. Across the state, a total of 38 individuals are categorized as high-risk contacts, while 139 high-risk contacts remain under observation.
A high-level meeting, led by Health Minister Veena George, was convened to review the situation and strategize containment measures. The meeting saw the participation of the Health Department Additional Chief Secretary, NHM State Mission Director, Health Department Director, Medical Education Department Director, Additional Directors, District Collectors, District Medical Officers, Police officials, and various departmental officials.