Nipah Under Control, Only One Key Drug Yet to Arrive: Kerala Health Minister

Seeking to allay public concerns over the state's preparedness to tackle the latest Nipah virus case, Kerala Health Minister K Muraleedharan on Saturday said that all essential medicines required for treatment are currently available, except for one anti viral drug that is expected to reach Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital by the evening.

The minister firmly rejected allegations that the hospital was facing a shortage of critical medicines while treating a Nipah patient in intensive care. According to him, the only pending medication is a specific anti viral drug, the stock of which was unavailable after the existing supply in Chennai had expired. Fresh doses are being transported from Delhi and are expected to arrive shortly.

Muraleedharan's remarks came a day after Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan expressed concern over the availability of life saving medicines at the hospital. Vijayan had questioned whether adequate medical supplies were being maintained and raised concerns over delays in ensuring the timely arrival of essential drugs.

Responding to the criticism, the Health Minister described the remarks as political in nature and stressed that the government machinery had moved swiftly following the confirmation of the Nipah infection. He said he personally visited Kozhikode soon after the case was reported, reviewed the situation on the ground, and later convened a high level meeting of senior officials in Thiruvananthapuram to coordinate the state's response.

Providing an update on the health situation, Muraleedharan said the infected patient continues to remain on ventilator support and is under close medical supervision. However, he emphasized that there is currently no indication of wider transmission.

Health authorities have intensified surveillance and contact tracing efforts. Significantly, test results of three individuals classified in the highest risk category have returned negative. The minister added that all suspected cases are being thoroughly examined and monitored as a precautionary measure.

A 43 year old man was recently confirmed to have contracted the Nipah virus , a highly dangerous zoonotic disease that can spread from animals to humans and, in certain situations, between people. The virus is primarily carried by fruit bats , commonly known as flying foxes, and can cause severe respiratory illness and inflammation of the brain. Due to its high fatality rate, health officials continue to treat every suspected case with utmost caution.

While the state remains on alert, the government has urged the public not to panic, assuring that medical teams, surveillance systems, and treatment facilities are fully mobilized to prevent any further spread of the infection.