Malappuram, Sep 15 (Reporter) Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Sunday confirmed a Nipah virus death of a post-graduate student at Naduvath in Thiruvali Panchayat in Malappuram district earlier in the week. A 24-year-old man, M.Sc student of Acharya College in Bangalore, who died in a EMS Medical College hospital at Perinthalmanna on September 9 was confirmed as Nipah virus victim in test reports received from Pune. George said efforts are in the final stages to conduct contact tracing and surveillance of all those who are at risk of infection. She said so far 151 people are on the primary contact list. The test result received from National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, on Sunday confirmed the man to be infected with the Nipah virus, the minister said. An emergency meeting was convened by George on Saturday for issuing instructions to take steps as per the Nipah protocol. Following this, the district administration and health authorities have taken preventive measures, preparing primary and secondary contact lists of 26 persons including the relatives and close friends of the man. Strict Nipah protocol restrictions have been imposed, including wearing mask, at Thiruvali panchayat, door-to-door data collection related to fever affected people was going on, said K Ramankutty, President of Thiruvali Grama panchayath. This is the sixth outbreak of Nipah virus in the state since 2018, claiming 22 lives in the past six years...////...