Kozhikode

Following the death of a 23-year-old from Malappuram due to Nipah virus, authorities have mandated mask-wearing in the district starting Monday until further notice. The victim, a student from Bengaluru, died at a private hospital in Perinthalmanna last week. Initial tests at Kozhikode Medical College confirmed Nipah, later validated by the Pune virology lab.

Health and revenue officials are mapping the deceased’s contacts and enforcing strict protocols in Thiruvali panchayat and parts of Mampad. Local schools and theaters are closed, and public gatherings are restricted. The deceased had recently traveled from Bengaluru with a leg injury and developed a fever before being hospitalized.

This is the second Nipah-related death in Malappuram this year, following a July incident. The virus, which first appeared in South India in 2018, is spread by fruit bats.