Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Aug 1: Three cases of Nipah virus infection have been confirmed in Kerala’s Malappuram and Palakkad districts in 2025, with 677 contacts traced so far, Minister of State for Health Prataprao Jadhav informed the Lok Sabha on Friday.
In a written reply, the minister said that immediate control measures have been initiated to contain the outbreak. The central and state health agencies have stepped up surveillance, awareness, and response efforts in the affected districts, including Kozhikode, Thrissur, and Wayanad, which have been placed on alert.
Nipah virus (NiV), an emerging zoonotic disease, primarily affects pigs and humans. The infection typically spreads in clusters, especially among caregivers and close contacts. Pteropid fruit bats, or flying foxes, are considered the natural host of the virus and are believed to play a major role in its transmission.
Jadhav noted that in India, Nipah cases are often linked to the palm date sap collection season, and outbreaks tend to recur in specific areas.
A National Joint Outbreak Response Team (NJORT), comprising experts from animal husbandry, forest and wildlife, and human health departments, along with a bat survey team, has been deployed for in-depth assessment of the situation. Genome sequencing of the virus has revealed that the current strain matches those from the 2019 and 2021 Kerala outbreaks.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) is maintaining year-round support through Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDLs), ensuring availability of PPE kits, diagnostic reagents, and training for health personnel.
Jadhav added that extensive awareness campaigns are being conducted for the public and healthcare workers to identify symptoms and respond quickly to suspected infections.
The Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), operating in all 36 states and Union Territories, continues to play a central role in monitoring more than 50 epidemic-prone diseases, including Nipah.
Meanwhile, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and ICMR-National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, have intensified surveillance of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) in Kerala and West Bengal since late 2024.
A comprehensive guideline on Nipah management has also been developed. Under the National One Health Programme for Prevention and Control of Zoonotic Diseases (NOHP-PCZ), all states and UTs have established Zoonosis Committees to monitor and manage zoonotic diseases like Nipah.