ALAPPUZHA: The delay in upgrading the laboratory at the National Institute of Virology (NIV), in Alappuzha, to biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) is affecting the early identification of outbreaks of diseases such as Nipah in the state.
The state-of-the-art laboratory was opened in a new building around a year ago. The Rs 25-crore building, in Kuravanthodu, near Punnapra, is on 5.5 acres of land that once belonged to the Alappuzha Medical College Hospital. The plot was allotted to NIV in 2012.
The laboratory functions as a satellite of NIV Pune. “The Union government sanctioned the project in 2006. However, construction began only in 2012. Steps are on to upgrade it to BSL-3,” said an official.
At present, it is sanctioned to test samples for coronavirus, chikungunya and dengue. In 2019, the Union Ministry of Health and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) approved advanced testing to identify the novel coronavirus (nCoV) and other viruses, as Covid wreaked havoc.
With the introduction of more advanced facilities — and concomitant upgradation — the centre will be able to test for monkey fever, Nipah and other rare diseases.
The NIV Alappuzha complex includes guest houses and an animal house — for conducting controlled experiments on animals — similar to the one at NIV Pune.
“When the establishment functions in full swing, it will have the facility to conduct research on more than 40 diseases. It will be able to identify diseases such as Nipah, Japanese encephalitis, West Nile, dengue, kyasanur forest disease (monkey fever), and H1N1, and the test results will be approved by the central government and ICMR,” said the official.