A state in southern India is taking measures to contain an outbreak of the Nipah virus after two people died from the rare and often deadly disease, shutting schools and testing hundreds to prevent its spread.

Kerala"s chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the virus has been detected in the state"s Kozhikode district, urging residents to exercise caution and follow the health department"s safety guidelines.

Kerala experienced a deadly outbreak of the Nipah virus in 2018, killing 17 people and causing widespread panic in the state. More than 230 people were tested during that time as authorities embarked on a rigid contact-tracing operation to contain its spread. Among the dead was a nurse who was treating patients at a hospital in Kozhikode.

The following year, Kerala put more than 300 people under surveillance after a man was diagnosed with the virus. The state had another outbreak in 2021, claiming the life of a 12-year-old boy.