Malappuram: After a 23-year-old man, a native of Naduvathu near Wandoor, died from Nipah, the government has imposed more restrictions in the area to prevent a potential spread of the zoonotic virus. Malappuram collector V R Vinod requested the mosque committees to cancel Mawlid processions, scheduled for Monday, considering the seriousness of the situation. Schools, colleges, anganwadis, and movie theatres in the region will remain closed. Public gatherings were also banned. Shops were allowed to operate only from 10 am to 7 pm.

The collector declared five wards of the district as containment zones on Sunday. These include Wards 4, 5, 6, and 7 of Thiruvali panchayat and Ward 7 of Mampad panchayat. Wearing masks is now compulsory in the region, and the collector urged people to remain vigilant. "There is nothing to worry about at present," he added.

A high-level meeting, chaired by the state Health Minister Veena George, was held on Saturday, and the necessary steps were initiated as per the protocol. Meanwhile, three persons are currently under treatment for Nipah symptoms in the district.

The health department will also conduct a fever survey in the Thiruvali panchayat, where the disease was confirmed, starting on Monday. Sixteen committees, consisting of health officials, ASHA and anganwadi workers from the block panchayat, have been formed to conduct the survey.

151 in contact list, close ones isolated
Veena George on Sunday said that the contact list of the deceased was prepared with 151 names on it. She added that the man had travelled with his friends to various places, and the close contacts had been isolated.

Samples of the five under isolation and with minor fever and symptoms were sent for testing. Two persons from the contact list were admitted to the Manjeri Medical College Hospital for observation.

Test positive
The 23-year-old man died on September 9 at a private hospital in Perinthalmanna. He was a student in Bengaluru and came home recently to avail treatment for a leg injury. Later, he contracted a fever and consulted doctors at four different hospitals. The primary lab test conducted at Kozhikode Medical College was positive, and a second test by the Pune virology lab confirmed the same.