Kozhikode, July 21 (Reporter) Kerala Health Minister Veena George said the 14-year-old boy from Chembrasseri in Pandikkad Panchayat of Malappuram district who tested positive for Nipah, died on Sunday while undergoing treatment. The Minister said the boy passed away following a massive cardiac arrest. The boy has been on ventilator support since last evening at Kozhikode Medical College Hospital (KMCH). Talking to news persons, the Minister said the child suffered a massive cardiac arrest at around 1050 hrs and the doctors confirmed the death at around 1130 hrs. The Doctors tried their best to revive him but failed. The Monoclonal antibody medicine was procured from Australia and imported preventive medicine from Pune especially for the child, but he died before the medicines were administered, she added. Minister said, there is no panic situation related to the Nipah Virus so far, as the number of symptoms cases are very low compared to the previous years. At present three people including the parents and an uncle of the boy were admitted to the isolation ward in KMCH and four others listed in the high-risk category of the boy's contact were undergoing treatment at Manjeri Medical College hospital in Malappuram district. Meanwhile, a 68-year-old person of Kondotty in Malappuram district,who is not listed in the contact list of the boy showing symptoms of Nipah, was shifted to KMCH in the morning and he was undergoing treatment with ventilator support. The samples of seven people were sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) Pune, and awaiting their results, Minister said. One of the victim's friend is also suffering from viral fever and has been admitted to Manjeri Medical College hospital. The last rites of the boy will be held as per the WHO protocol at Malappuram, following the request of the relatives of the victim. A total of 246 individuals are listed in the primary and secondary contact list with the victim including doctors and hospital staff and relatives, in which 63 are classified as high-risk category. Strict Nipah protocol restrictions have been imposed in the two panchayats at Pandikkad and Anakkayam in Malappuram district. The victim was a ninth standard student of a school at Panthalloor in Anakkayam panchayat. Door-to-door data collection related to fever-affected people has been going on from 16711 houses in Pandikkad and 16245 houses in Anakkayam Panchayats from Sunday. The route map of the boy was also released by the health department with details of boy's visits from July 11 to 15 at Bright tuition centre Dr Vijayan's clinic and, PKM Hospital at Pandikkad and Moulana hospital at Perinthalmanna in Malappuram district. Later he was shifted to MIMS hospital at Kozhikode on July 19 and in the evening admitted to KMCH in an unconscious stage. According to media reports, Prima facie is suspected that the boy was affected by the Nipah virus from Wayanad district, where he had gone with his school classmates last week and ate Ambazhanga (Indian Hog Plum). This is the fifth outbreak of Nipah Virus in the State within five years and 21 deaths have been reported, so far. The virus claimed 17 deaths in 2018 at Perambra in Kozhikode district, one in 2019 in Ernakulam district, one in 2021 at Chathamangalam in Kozhikode district, and two in Kozhikode district in 2023...////...