Attachments
Key events and updates
India: Nipah Virus infection
Situation Overview
- On 8 May 2025, Government of Kerala published the press release of a confirmed case of Nipah virus infection in a 42-year-old woman from Valanchery Municipality, Malappuram District, Kerala State, India.
- The woman developed symptoms on 25 April and was hospitalized in Perinthalmanna on 1 May.
- The diagnosis was confirmed through testing at the state virology laboratory and later validated by the National Institute of Virology, Pune. She remains in critical condition.
- This marks the seventh Nipah outbreak in Kerala since 2018, and the third in Malappuram District. The source of infection remains unidentified, with no exposure reported to raw date palm sap—often implicated in past outbreaks.
Public Health Response
- Local health authorities swiftly implemented containment measures to limit the spread of infection.
- The Kerala State Health Minister convened a high-level meeting to assess the situation and direct the response.
- Active contact tracing is ongoing, with 112 contacts identified and placed under follow-up across multiple districts, including Malappuram (81), Palakkad (25), and others. As of the latest update, 42 individuals have tested negative.
- The public has been advised to avoid non-essential visits to healthcare facilities to minimize the risk of transmission. Schools have been closed, and restrictions on public gatherings have been implemented.
- Fever surveillance has been conducted across 3 868 households, and a joint outbreak investigation has been launched in coordination with the animal husbandry department.
Sri Lanka: Chikungunya
Situation Overview
- A total of 173 Chikungunya cases were reported from sentinel sites in Colombo, Gampaha and Kandy healthcare institutions (22 cases in November and December 2024, and 151 cases during 2025 as of the second week of March). 4 The highest case burden was observed in the 41–60 age group (40.5%) and 60.2% of the cases were females.
- Informal media articles (unverified information) have reported a larger number of cases in 2025, and that response efforts are underway in the Western province.