The detection of a fresh Nipah virus infection in Kerala has once again put the spotlight on a question that has puzzled public health experts for years: why does the state continue to report repeated outbreaks of a disease that has surfaced only rarely elsewhere in India?
The latest case involves a 43-year-old man from Kozhikode district, prompting authorities to launch an extensive surveillance and contact-tracing exercise. The Centre has also dispatched a joint team of experts to assist state officials in tracking the source of the infection and assessing the possibility of further transmission.