Malappuram | The 24-year-old man who died recently at a private hospital in Malappuram was infected with the Nipah virus, Kerala Health Minister Veena George said on Sunday.

George said the suspicion of Nipah infection arose after a death investigation conducted by the Regional Medical Officer.

"The available samples were immediately sent for testing and it turned out to be positive," the minister said in a video message.

The Malappuram native who reached the state from Bengaluru died on September 9, after which his available samples were sent for testing to Kozhikode Medical college hospital laboratory.

Malappuram health officials said the results from Kozhikode medical college indicated a positive result, after which a high-level meeting was held by the health minister on Saturday night itself and initiated the necessary steps as per the protocol.

Meanwhile, the results from National Institute of Virology (NIV) Pune on Sunday confirmed the infection.

The minister said 16 committees were formed on Saturday night itself and a contact list of 151 people has been identified.

She said the man had travelled with his friends to various places and the close contacts had been isolated.

"Minor fever and symptoms were found in five of those under isolation and their samples have been sent for testing," the minister said.

A boy from Malappuram, who was undergoing treatment for Nipah infection, died on July 21. It was the first confirmed case of Nipah infection in the state this year.

Nipah outbreaks have been reported in Kozhikode district in 2018, 2021 and 2023 and in Ernakulam district in 2019, and the presence of Nipah virus antibodies had been detected in bats in Kozhikode, Wayanad, Idukki, Malappuram and Ernakulam districts.