Central team reaches Kozhikode, three contacts of Nipah infected person test negative for virus
A team from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare reached Kozhikode on Saturday (June 13
A team from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare reached Kozhikode on Saturday (June 13, 2026) to take stock of the Nipah infection situation in the district. It is learnt that three highest risk contacts of the infected 43-year-old man from Ramanattukara have tested negative for the virus. The team visited the Government Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode, where the infected person is undergoing treatment for the zoonotic disease. The infection was officially reported in the district on Thursday when lab results from the Institute of Virology, Pune, turned out to be positive for the virus.
He remains in a critical condition on ventilator support. The first dose of monoclonal antibody was administered to him on Friday (June 12, 2026). The Central team also held a review meeting at the Kozhikode district collectorate with officials in the district administration, including those from the Health department. Its members are expected to visit the infected person’s home town in Ramanattukara later. They are likely to be in the district for a couple of days. Officials from the Centre for Disease Control too will also reach Kozhikode soon. Meanwhile, Revenue Minister A.P. Anil Kumar, who is in-charge of Kozhikode, told the media that from the current scenario, it could be presumed that there had not been any large-scale spread of the infection.
There was no need to declare a containment zone, he said. On the contact list of 87 persons, 11 are from Malappuram, one is from Kannur, and the rest are from Kozhikode, Mr. Anil Kumar said. The Minister claimed that there had been no lapses in the containment steps as alleged by leaders of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)]. There are around 300 houses in the area from where the infected person hails. Health workers have reached out to all the residents there. The health system is fully prepared to handle the situation, he said. This comes against the backdrop of the allegations by Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan, Beypore MLA P.A. Mohamed Riyas, and CPI(M) Kozhikode district secretary M.
Mehboob accusing the political executive of being lethargic to the current situation. Mr. Riyas on Saturday staged a protest outside the Nipah control room at the Kozhikode collectorate claiming that steps were not being taken to address the concerns of the local residents.
The BriefWire