Karnataka health department officials ramp up their surveillance efforts after confirming Nipah death in Kerala

Bengaluru: After the death of a Bengaluru student in Kerala, which was recently confirmed to be due to Nipah virus, the Karnataka state health department has ramped up its surveillance efforts.

The 24-year-old man who died was a postgraduate student of psychology at an institute in Soladevanahalli in the outskirts of Bengaluru and hailed from Thiruvali panchayat, Malappuram.

A team from the health department’s disease surveillance unit visited the institute and verified that 32 students and staff attended the funeral of the deceased. Three students had reportedly visited the deceased when he was hospitalised.

According to an official from the department, the staff and medical officers from the Chikkabanavara and Gopalpura primary health centres have been instructed to continuously follow-up on primary and secondary contacts.

“A team is conducting contact tracing from the institute. Two primary contacts are in Bengaluru and are asymptomatic,” said Dr Ansar Ahmed, project director, Integrated Disease Surveillance Program (IDSP), state health department, who added that the department is on high alert and ensuring precautionary measures are taken.

According to the department, the man had returned to his hometown on August 25 due to a leg injury. He began experiencing a fever on September 5, and sought treatment at a local clinic. His condition deteriorated further and he showed signs of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) with Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) at a medical college hospital, following which he passed away on September 8. As of Monday, no family contacts are displaying any symptoms, noted a source from the health department.

“We are concerned about the Nipah virus but there is no need for people to panic. No cases have been suspected or reported in the state as of now. No symptoms have been seen among the people who attended the funeral in Kerala, many of whom have returned,” said state health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao.

Preventive measures

Avoiding contact with person suspected to have the infection

Avoiding contact with a sick animal, especially in a pig farm

Avoiding the consumption of raw date palm sap, toddy or half-eaten fruits

Thoroughly washing fruits and hands.