Nipah Strikes Kerala Again: Malappuram Boy Under Treatment Dies (image/pixabay)
The 14-year-old boy from Malappuram district who was under treatment for the deadly Nipah infection at Kozhikode Medical College died on Sunday, according to media reports. The child was on a ventilator at a private hospital.
Kerala Health Minister Veena George said that the child suffered a cardiac arrest around 10:50 am on Sunday. The death was confirmed around 11:20 am, as per reports. The death toll has risen to 21 since the virus first hit Kerala in 2018.
“A decision whether to take the boy’s mortal remains to his native place will be taken only after holding talks with his relatives. The District Collector will seek the family’s opinion on this,” said George, quoted by Onmanorama. The boy’s funeral will be held as per the WHO protocols.
Read Also: Malappuram District Administration Releases Directives After A Nipah Case Confirmed
Four individuals listed in the high-risk category after coming into close contact with the boy are currently undergoing treatment at Manjery Medical College Hospital. A child undergoing treatment is reported to be suffering from viral fever. A total of 246 individuals are listed as contacts of the patient, with 63 classified as high-risk, according to Mathrubhumi.
Hailing from Malappuram’s Pandikkad, the young boy was admitted to a private hospital on Friday. After analysing the 14-year-old boy’s symptoms, the doctors sent samples to NIV for final confirmation of the Nipah virus.
George said that Pune’s National Institute of Virology (NIV) confirmed the Nipah infection around 7 pm yesterday. The boy was on a ventilator in Kozhikode’s Medical College Hospital after the official confirmation.
Following the outbreak, the health minister held a high-level meeting on Saturday regarding measures to prevent the virus from spreading. The Malappuram district administration released directives for the public to adhere to for their safety.
Read Also: Killer Nipah Virus Back In Kerala; NIV Confirms Suspected Sample Positive
The deadly Nipah virus is a zoonotic virus that hit Kerala in 2018, with 18 confirmed cases. With a high mortality rate of nearly 75 percent, the virus killed 17 people. Malappuram was the second-worst-affected district after Kozhikode in 2018. Subsequent outbreaks were reported in Kochi in 2019 and in Kozhikode in 2021 and 2023. This is the fifth outbreak in the state.
Notably, the virus has no medication, vaccine, or cure. The only way to combat the deadly infection is to manage the symptoms, which include fever, headache, breathing difficulties, sore throat, and more. The condition may progress to coma within 24-48 hours.
