Kerala has declared seven village panchayats as containment zones to prevent the spread of the Nipah virus, which has killed two people and infected two others in Kozhikode. The panchayats include Atanchery, Maruthonkara, Tiruvallur, Kuttiyadi, Kayakkodi, Villyapalli, and Kavilumpara. No travel in or out of these containment zones will be allowed until further notice, and police have been asked to cordon off these areas. Stores selling essential commodities and medical supplies will only be allowed to function from 7 am to 5 pm, with no time bar for pharmacies and health centres. Local self-government institutions and village offices can function with minimum staff, while banks, other government or quasi-government institutions, educational institutions, and anganwadis should not operate. The public is advised to use online services and avoid visiting local self-government institutions.
Buses or vehicles plying on national highways through the containment zones should not stop in the affected areas, and all should maintain social distancing and use masks and sanitizer in the containment zones. Kerala has reported cases of the Nipah virus earlier, with an outbreak in 2018 and another in 2021. The virus is caused by fruit bats and is potentially fatal to humans and animals. Symptoms include respiratory illness, fever, muscular pain, headache, fever, dizziness, and nausea.
