On Sunday, Kerala reported the return of Nipah virus in the state. A 12-year-old boy, who developed symptoms of Nipah and had been getting treated since September 1, passed away on Sunday in Kozhikode district. The victim's relatives and all those who treated him have been put under quarantine. Out of the 158 in the list of contacts presently, 20 people are from the index case and 2 of them show symptoms. A control room has been opened in Kozhikode for Nipah and one ward of the Kozhikode Medical College has been changed into Nipah ward. Special medical arrangements are made in the regions where Nipah was confirmed in the previous outbreak (2018).

The World Health Organisation said that Nipah Virus is caused by fruit bats and is potentially fatal to humans as well as animals. The first outbreak of the Nipah virus was reported in Kerala's Kozhikode district on May 19, 2018. The state had witnessed 17 deaths and 18 confirmed cases. The return of the Nipah virus, which claimed a number of deaths in the southern state, has only added to the state's worries.