Nipah virus (Image source: PTI)

Kerala health minister K Muraleedharan on Thursday confirmed that a suspected Nipah virus case in Kozhikode has tested positive, while final confirmation from the Virology Institute is still awaited.The patient was initially admitted to Crescent Hospital in Kozhikode with a high fever and was later shifted to another hospital after his condition failed to improve, he told reporters.According to the minister, doctors suspected Nipah infection after the fever persisted, and the patient is currently on ventilator support.Contact tracing underwayHealth authorities have launched extensive contact tracing and identified 77 people who came into contact with the patient. These include 58 healthcare workers, 14 family members and five friends.The minister said none of the identified contacts have shown any symptoms of the disease so far, but they are being closely monitored as a precautionary measure.Public advisory and preventive measures Muraleedharan also urged the public to remain vigilant, noting that the period between May and September is considered high-risk for Nipah virus transmission.He advised people not to touch or provoke bats, which are known carriers of the virus, and to immediately alert authorities if they spot unusual bat activity.The state government, he added, is actively working on measures to prevent further Nipah cases and strengthen surveillance efforts.What is the Nipah virus?World Health Organisation (WHO) describes Nipah virus as a zoonotic virus, usually transmitted from animals to humans, but can also be transmitted through contaminated food or directly between people.Nipah virus was first identified in 1998 during an outbreak among pig farmers in Malaysia. In India, outbreaks are periodically reported in several parts of the country, including the latest one in 2026.Fruit bats from the Pteropodidae family are considered the natural host of Nipah virus and are present in different parts of Asia and in Australia. African fruit bats of the genus Eidolon, family Pteropodidae, have been found to have antibodies against Nipah and Hendra viruses.