The samples of eight individuals who had come in contact with a 12-year-old boy who died due to Nipah virus infection in Kerala have come out negative, stated Health Minister Veena George. 

The samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune for testing. The minister stated, "It′s a big relief the samples turned out negative." Five more samples are currently being tested at Kozhikode Medical College′s laboratory. 

Overall, 48 high-risk contacts, including the 8 who have been tested, have been admitted to Kozhikode Medical College. These include 31 from Kozhikode, 4 from Wayanad, 8 from Malappuram and 1 from Palakkad. The testing of samples for these contacts will be completed soon. A team from the National Centre for Disease Control is presently in Kerala, to provide technical support to the state… (NDTV, September 7, 2021)