Experts have collected samples of blood and body fluids from the bat found in the well of the house in Perambra from where the first Nipah case was reported. Thiruvananthapuram: Officials of the Kerala Animal Husbandry Department have been flooded with phone calls over the last couple of days from people seeking answers to doubts like, “will we get Nipah virus if we eat eggs or drink milk?”
“You can eat eggs and milk is also safe. The virus has not yet been detected in any animal in the state,” the officials assure the callers.
The pigs, rabbits and goats in the Nipah-affected areas of Kerala are so far safe from the virus. Animal to animal spread of the disease has not been noticed yet. Moreover, symptoms of the Nipah viral infection have not been reported from any district in the state.
Back in 1999, Nipah virus had spread among pigs in Malaysia. According to the Kerala Animal Husbandry Department officials, after that Nipah virus infection has never ever been confirmed among pigs anywhere in the world.
Meanwhile, experts have collected samples of blood and body fluids from the bat found in the well of the house in Perambra from where the first Nipah case was reported. However, this bat species preys on small insects only. Samples from the larger bat which eats fruits have not yet been obtained. Efforts are continuing to capture the big bat for the purpose. Authorities have obtained the excreta of this species.
A team led by Dr Kulkarni of the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases had collected blood samples of the small bats and sent them for analysis. The results will be available soon. It can be confirmed that Nipah was spread by bats only after obtaining the results.
Animal Husbandry Department has stepped up inspections in all districts for the virus. Observation cells have been constituted at the district level for the purpose. Dr Jayachandran is the nodal officer. Officials of the Animal Husbandry Department said that there was no need to panic.
Read: Latest Kerala News | Do not fall prey to Nipah scaremongering, say Mohanlal, Parvathy
