KOCHI: Amidst widespread relief of containing the Nipah outbreak, Health Department officials are finding it difficult to identify its source of origin, as the 23-year-old student contracted with the virus was never in one place.
The expert team is constantly visiting Vadakkekara, Chendamangalam and Chittattukara areas as part of Nipah surveillance programme. “We are keeping tight surveillance to find out possibly-infected locations, to investigate. The process will eventually take us to the origin of the outbreak,” said KM Dileep, District Animal Husbandry Officer, Ernakulam.
The expert team consists of members from National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal, and Southern Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory of the Institute of Animal Health and Veterinary Biologicals, Bengaluru, who are focusing on close-monitoring the surveillance of bats and pigs.
A team of entomologists from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) have already reached Kochi to study the bat samples. Veterinary, Agriculture and Forest department officials are also monitoring the situation.
In addition, a three-member expert team, consisting of Dr Sudeep, Dr Gokhre and Dr Balasubramaniam, reached Kochi on Friday to further study bat’s role in the outbreak. “We have collected faecal matter and blood samples of bats and pigs. It has already been sent to Bhopal for advanced tests. Once we get the test results, further information can be given on the outbreak,” said Dileep.
According to Health Department sources, the patient had been continuously travelling from Ernakulam to Thodupuzha, from April 12 to May 16, to attend his examinations. As there were considerable days of intervals between exams, he did not stay back in Thodupuzha. Later, he went to Thrissur for internship. During his stay between May 21 to 23, the Vadakekkara native also visited the zoo.
Bat traps
The Forest Department has zeroed in on three major areas with a huge bat population in Vadakkekkara. Arrangements, including installation of nets, have been made to trap bats in the coming days