Nipah virus: Here’s what you need to know

Kerala is back in focus after the preliminary test of a man in Kozhikode turned positive, sparking renewed interest in the zoonotic viral disease.

Kozhikode Nipah virus case: All you need to know

A 43-year-old man with encephalitis symptoms has been undergoing treatment at the Government Medical College Hospital (MCH) in Kozhikode, Kerala, even as authorities are awaiting the lab results of his body fluid samples sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, for the Nipah infection.

The preliminary test for Nipah virus infection at the MCH returned positive, officials said on Thursday (June 11, 2026)

Governmental response

Health Minister K. Muraleedharan convened a meeting involving the Director of Medical Education, the Director of Health Services, and other officials in the State capital, Thiruvananthapuram.

Health officials have begun tracing the patient’s whereabouts, and a route map to trace his contacts was being prepared. 

Kozhikode has had Nipah outbreaks in 2018 and 2023 and a spillover case in 2021.

Nipah symptoms

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC says that the symptoms of Nipah virus include fever, headache, cough, sore throat, and difficulty breathing. Later in the infection, some people may experience brain swelling, or encephalitis, and severe symptoms can include confusion, drowsiness, and seizures.  

While the CDC is one of the world’s leading resources for disease control, it is recommended to go to the doctor and use resources shared by the authorities, post verification.

What to do if you suspect a Nipah infection?

One of the first things to do if you have any of the above-listed symptoms is not to panic and use the resources shared by the authorities to safely alleviate your concern or take the relevant next steps. 

Here’s what you can do: 

1. Contact the Directorate of Health Services, Kerala. It released a PDF resource during the last Nipah virus outbreak.
2. Avoid posting unverified claims about the Nipah virus and the infection on social media, as that may create panic. Images from older outbreaks or AI-generated fakes may be circulating on social media platforms.
3. Stick to resources prepared by the government and verify the claims made on social media by doing a deep dive into the source of the infection.

Neither an outbreak, nor an infection

There is no outbreak of the Nipah virus as of June 11, 2026, and only preliminary testing in the Kozhikode case has turned positive. This does not mean that the Nipah virus is spreading in Kerala or any other part of India. It is important to differentiate between an outbreak and a suspected case. This will help in curbing the spread of misinformation.