Kerala Man Tests Positive For Nipah In Preliminary Screening

A 43-year-old man from Feroke in Kerala's Kozhikode has tested positive for Nipah virus in a preliminary test conducted at the Government Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode.

Health officials said the patient had come to the hospital through the outpatient department and is believed to have had contact with several people before being identified as a suspected Nipah case.

Authorities suspect the infection may have been contracted while cleaning a warehouse, though the exact source is yet to be confirmed.

The final confirmation from the National Institute of Virology is expected on Thursday. Officials said the patient's condition is currently stable.

A medical board meeting has been convened for Thursday morning to assess the situation and decide on further measures. A separate review meeting chaired by the Kozhikode District Collector will also be held.

A decision on declaring containment zones and imposing restrictions will be taken after the review meetings and based on the NIV test results. 

Health authorities have already begun contact tracing, given the patient's interaction with multiple individuals.

No Need For Panic: Kerala Health Minister

Kerala Health Minister K Muralidharan has said the man had extensive contacts but stressed that there was no reason for panic at this stage.

The minister said the 43-year-old patient had visited multiple departments of the private hospital where he initially sought treatment, raising concerns about possible exposure to others.

As a precautionary measure, hospital staff who may have come into contact with the patient have been asked to enter quarantine, the minister said.

The health authorities, he said, have already initiated contact-tracing measures and are closely monitoring the situation. 

A meeting of senior health officials has been convened at the Health Minister's office in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday to review the situation and decide on further steps.