As Nipah Returns, How Kerala Plans To Prevent Its Spread

The Pinarayi Vijayan government has planned a pre-emptive approach to curb the spread of Nipah virus

Determined to prevent the spread of Nipah virus, the Kerala government has swung into action as soon as four cases of infection were confirmed in Kozhikode. The state government has planned a pre-emptive approach to curb the spread of infection. Kerala's earlier fights against the Nipah virus, dreaded for its high fatality rates, had earned international acclaim.

Kerala Health Minister Veena George has said the state is aiming for "proactive detection" of infection before cases are confirmed in labs. The health administration is monitoring clinical symptoms so that alerts can be sounded in advance.

The state administration, Ms George said, is focusing on tracing contacts of infected persons early and isolating those with symptoms.