Masks Made Mandatory in Kerala’s Malappuram After Nipah Virus Death

Malappuram: Following the death of a 23-year-old student from Malappuram due to Nipah virus infection, authorities have made masks mandatory across the district from Monday until further notice. Health and revenue officials are working on creating a route map and contact list to ensure all Nipah protocols are strictly followed.

The deceased, a native of Chembaram, Wandoor, and a student in Bengaluru, passed away at a private hospital in Perinthalmanna last Monday. Initially, suspicions of Nipah arose when doctors received a positive test result from Kozhikode Medical College. On Sunday, Health Minister Veena George confirmed the diagnosis after receiving a report from the Pune virology lab.

Strict restrictions have been imposed in Thiruvali panchayat, covering four wards and one ward from neighbouring Mampad panchayat. Local theatres and educational institutions in the affected areas have been ordered to shut down until further notice. Public gatherings have also been banned, with strict instructions to follow all Nipah-related protocols at any events.

The deceased had recently returned from Bengaluru with a leg injury and sought treatment at two local clinics before being admitted to the hospital, where he later succumbed to the virus.

Earlier this year, on July 21, a 14-year-old boy from Malappuram also died due to Nipah virus, prompting similar containment measures. The 2018 Nipah outbreak in South India claimed 18 lives, with fruit bats identified as the primary carriers of the virus.