The heightened alert comes after a 43-year-old man from Kozhikode tested positive for Nipah virus infection. Health authorities in Tamil Nadu have stepped up monitoring in border districts, particularly in the Nilgiris, which shares boundaries with Kerala and Karnataka.

Speaking to the media, Nilgiris District Collector Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneeru said that all necessary preventive measures had been put in place and that special teams were carrying out surveillance activities in interstate border areas and adjoining villages.

The district administration is expected to issue detailed advisories for residents of border villages, outlining precautionary measures and health guidelines. Tourists visiting the Nilgiris will also be sensitised about the symptoms of the disease and the need for early medical intervention.

Health officials have advised members of the public to seek immediate medical attention if they experience symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, muscle pain, vomiting, breathing difficulties, dizziness or disorientation. People have also been cautioned against consuming fruits that may have been bitten by bats.

Meanwhile, the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) has established a special ward in view of the increase in Shigella infections reported in Kerala. A dedicated 11-bed ward has been kept ready at the hospital, with doctors, nurses and other healthcare personnel placed on standby to handle any suspected cases. However, officials clarified that no Shigella infections have been reported in Coimbatore district so far.

Health authorities have urged the public to avoid self-medication in the event of symptoms such as high fever or diarrhoea and instead seek treatment at government hospitals or primary health centres for timely diagnosis and appropriate care.