Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya confirmed that the two people in Kerala's Kozhikode died of Nipah virus. The two deaths, which were earlier suspected to be linked to the virus, took place within just two weeks of each other.
The state government is locating persons who have been in high-risk contact with the suspected Nipah patients, with at least 75 people on the contact list so far. The authorities have also issued a health alert for the virus in Kozhikode.
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Both deceased were men, and unrelated.
The patients were hospitalised for high fever, but the medical staff reportedly suspected symptoms of Nipah virus.
The patient died within days of being admitted.
Their body fluid samples have been sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune for further testing.