Kerala on alert as Kozhikode man preliminarily positive for Nipah
Kerala is on high alert after a 43-year-old businessman in Kozhikode tested preliminarily positive for Nipah virus and is now on a ventilator.
Health Minister K Muralidharan says the government has started contact tracing and isolating people who may have been exposed, including healthcare workers.
They are preparing a route map of the patient's movements and identifying contacts he interacted with before being hospitalized.
The final test results are still awaited, but officials urge people not to panic: precautions are in place.
WHO: Nipah fatality 40%-75%
Nipah virus spreads mainly through fruit bats, contaminated food, or close contact with infected individuals.
According to the World Health Organization, its fatality rate can be pretty high, between 40% and 75%.
Kerala has dealt with several outbreaks since 2018; the worst one claimed 17 lives that year.
Stay alert, follow health advisories, and don't let rumors get to you. The state's taking this seriously.