Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Health Minister Veena George has issued a health alert in Kozhikode, Malappuram and Palakkad districts after two cases of Nipah virus were confirmed. The infected individuals are residents of Palakkad and Malappuram. Preliminary tests conducted at the government medical colleges in Malappuram and Kozhikode indicated the presence of the virus. In the case of the patient from Palakkad, the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune confirmed the infection.

The patients include an 18-year-old girl from Mankada in Malappuram and a 38-year-old woman from Palakkad. The young girl was admitted to a private hospital in Kottakkal on June 28 with Nipah-like symptoms and later succumbed to brain death in Kozhikode on July 1. Whereas, the woman is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Perinthalmanna. The final test result of the deceased girl is still awaited.

The Palakkad district administration has intensified precautionary measures after the resident tested positive for the Nipah virus.

Six wards in Palakkad district have been declared containment zones. These include Wards 7, 8, 9, and 11 of the Thachanattukara Grama Panchayat, and Wards 17 and 18 of the Karimpuzha Grama Panchayat. All commercial establishments, educational institutions, and other public facilities in these areas have been ordered to shut down temporarily.

The woman started having fever 20 days ago. She initially sought treatment at hospitals in Palode, Karinkallathani, and Mannarkkad. When the disease did not improve from there, she was taken to a private hospital in Perinthalmanna.

The minister stated that precautionary measures are being enforced in line with the protocol, even before confirmation of the cases. The Health Department has clarified that robust measures have been initiated soon after the virus was detected during initial tests in the medical colleges.

Preventive actions are being carried out simultaneously across all three districts. Twenty-six committees have been formed in each district to coordinate the efforts. Police support will be sought to compile contact lists. A state-level helpline and district-level helplines will also be activated.

Containment zones will be announced in the two districts where the suspected cases have been identified. District collectors have been instructed to implement appropriate measures. Public announcements will be made, and thorough contact tracing will be conducted to ensure no one is missed.

The Health Department has also directed that any unnatural deaths during this period should be examined closely. A high-level meeting, chaired by the Health Minister, has been scheduled for Friday evening to assess the situation and plan further action.

These latest steps come after a confirmed Nipah case on May 8 involving a 42-year-old woman from Valanchery. Though she has since tested negative, she remains unconscious and is being treated at the Cooperative Hospital in Perinthalmanna.