Nipah Scare Grips Kerala: Man Tests Positive

Kerala has been placed on high alert following a preliminary positive test for the Nipah virus in a 43-year-old businessman from Feroke. The patient is currently receiving care on ventilator support at the Government Medical College Hospital in Kozhikode. Health authorities have initiated extensive contact tracing and isolation measures for individuals who may have come into contact with the infected man.

Samples have been dispatched to the National Institute of Virology in Pune for confirmatory testing, with results expected soon. State Health Minister K. Muraleedharan has urged vigilance and assured that all necessary arrangements are in place at the hospital. The minister indicated that the infection might have been contracted while the patient was cleaning a rented godown, advising against public panic at this stage. A meeting with health officials is scheduled to review the evolving situation.