Kerala HC asks state govt to issue guidelines for Sabarimala pilgrimage in wake of Nipah outbreak

Kochi: Kerala High Court on Friday asked the state government to issue guidelines, if required, for the pilgrimage to Sabarimala when it opens for the monthly puja in view of the Nipah outbreak in Kozhikode district.

The court asked the Travancore Devaswom Board commissioner to hold discussions with the health secretary and take a decision on the matter.

The hilltop shrine in Pathanamthitta district opens for five days every Malayalam month. This month, it will open for pilgrims on Sunday.

The state government, meanwhile, informed the court that restrictions have been imposed in the northern Kozhikode district.

A fresh case of Nipah virus was confirmed in Kozhikode on Friday, taking the total number of people infected to six. The state has so far reported two fatalities.