Kerala's Kozhikode faces 4th Nipah virus outbreak, patient on ventilator
Kerala's Kozhikode district is dealing with its fourth Nipah virus outbreak after a 43-year-old man was confirmed infected and put on ventilator support.
His family is now under home quarantine, and his other close contacts are under observation, with health workers checking in daily.
The Nipah virus is serious: its mortality rate can reach up to 75%, and it spreads through bats, animals, or human contact.
One Health fever survey underway
Health teams are conducting a fever survey as part of a "One Health" drive to contain the spread.
Research links these outbreaks to bat activity from April to September, while Perinthalmanna in Malappuram and Kozhikode city are important places in the Nipah calendar because of the presence of corporate hospitals and tertiary care government hospitals.
Experts are urging active surveillance, especially for symptoms like acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and mask use is back in affected areas.