Man under observation for suspected Nipah infection

Kozhikode: A 43-year-old man with suspected symptoms of Nipah virus infection was admitted at a Kozhikode hospital with preliminary tests at the medical college indicating a possible Nipah infection. Health minister K Muraleedharan said there is no reason for a public panic and a confirmation from National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, is awaited. He added that further decisions will be taken after the results are received from Pune. He added that the patient had recently rented a godown and personally cleaned it up. Authorities suspect bats may have been present at the site.

Based on the patient’s symptoms and preliminary findings, health officials are treating it as a suspected case while also initiating precautionary measures. Muraleedharan said the patient had an extensive contact history and added that health department has issued an alert. Meanwhile, Ramanattukara municipality, where the patient resides, convened an emergency meeting to review the situation

He said the man had initially recovered from a bout of fever but developed fever again a few days later. During this period, he visited hospitals multiple times. He first sought treatment at an outpatient wing and later underwent diagnostic procedures, including an MRI scan, leading to significant contact exposure. Hospital staff and others who came into contact with the patient were asked to go into quarantine, said Muraleedharan.

On Thursday noon, the minister will chair a high-level meeting at his office to assess the situation. Authorities are also preparing a detailed route map of the patient’s movements to identify and monitor contacts. The minister said the patient was shifted from the private hospital to Kozhikode medical college at 11pm. Kozhikode medical college imposed restrictions around pay ward and nearby areas as Nipah isolation ward is functioning inside the hospital.