A 12-year-old boy died of Nipah virus in Kozhikode of Kerala, triggering concerns of a possible outbreak of another deadly virus. The minor boy died in a private hospital in the early hours of Sunday.
As per reports, the boy had recently recovered from Covid and had been taken to the Kozhikode Medical College & Hospital. He was later shifted to the private hospital on September 1 as his fever didn’t subside. The boy also presented with features of encephalitis and myocarditis.
A team of doctors and other specialists had been deputed to Kerala by the Union Health Ministry to conduct a detailed study on the disease and the surroundings and also provide technical support to the state.
The Centre has advised to carry out active search, contact tracing, quarantine and collection and transportation of samples for lab testing. Currently, regions of Northern Kerala, including Malappuram, Kozhikode, and Kannur districts, have been put on high alert.
According to the State Health Minister Veena George, the government has put the health system in place and there is nothing to worry about. The Health minister also said that no one from the boy’s immediate family or neighbourhood had any symptoms of the virus.