HYDERABAD: In the wake of the outbreak of Nipah virus that can spread through infected fruits, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has decided to take strict measures to avoid it reaching the city. Since consumption of fruits is high during Ramzan month, GHMC has decided to keep a track on hawkers selling various types of fruits and date palms on the road sides and streets.
Apart from this, staff from Health and Sanitation wing of GHMC will carry out checks on the fruit juice stalls who make juices with spoiled fruits bitten by birds. Steps are also being taken to eliminate pigs from city outskirts. GHMC additional commissioners Sikta Patnaik and Mohammed Musharraf Ali Faruqui said a meeting had been convened at GHMC head office on May 25 with all the Assistant Medical Officer of Health (AMOHs) of 30 GHMC Circles and other health officials to discuss on Nipah Virus and create mass awareness among people about the disease.
The GHMC officials are in touch with Telangana Medical and Health department on the precautions to be taken to deal with the virus. GHMC will utilise the services of SHGs to create awareness on the precautions to be taken to deal with Nipah virus.
The AMOHs have been told to encourage the community to report quickly new suspect cases to surveillance teams. Preventive measures are designed to prevent transmission of virus from reservoir animals (bats, pigs) to humans and from human to human, Musharraf Ali added.
He said that Nipah virus is transmitted through eating fruits partially eaten by infected bats and consuming raw date palm sap/toddy/juice.