The deadly Nipah virus has claimed 21 lives in Kerala so far. The 14-year-old boy from Pandikkad in Malappuram who died while undergoing treatment at the Kozhikode Medical College was the last one who died due to Nipah. All 20 Nipah-related deaths happened in the Kozhikode district. While 17 Nipah-related deaths were reported in 2018, one death was reported in 2021. Two people died of Nipah in 2023. The first victim of Nipah in the state was Muhammad Sabith, a native of Perambra. The death of nurse Lini, who got infected while treating Sabit, left the entire Kerala in a state of grief. The new case of Nipah infection was reported unexpectedly at a time when the government and doctors were extremely cautious by taking strict preventive measures against the Nipah virus.