CUTTACK: After claiming lives of four elephants in Nandankanan Zoological Park, herpes virus is suspected to have spread to nearby forest areas.
On Thursday, locals spotted an ailing female elephant of Chandaka-Dampara sanctuary lying on the roadside near Kuamada village within Damapada Forest Range in the district. After getting information, senior forest officials, including PCCF Hari Shankar Upadhyay, CZA member secretary S P Yadav and Professor and Head of Department, Preventive Medicine, OUAT Dr Niranjan Sahoo rushed to the spot and examined the health condition of the elephant.
The team also collected its blood sample and swabs for examination. “From the symptoms, specialists and doctors are suspecting the elephant to have been infected with herpes virus. However, blood sample and swab examination reports will confirm it,” said Upadhyay. While there is no precaution or preventive measure to check the spread of the disease, suggestions will taken from Gaurang Mohto, an expert from Assam who is accompanying the team.