Brain-damaging Nipah virus had led to 16 deaths in Kerala. (Representational)
Union Minister of State for Health, Ashwini Choubey, today said that the Nipah virus has been contained and there was no need to run away from Kerala, where several deaths due to the virus have been reported.
He added that no fresh cases of infection have been reported.
"There have been no new cases of Nipah reported from anywhere in the country. The virus has been stalled. This is a good sign. Nipah is not epidemic and there is nothing to be scared of," Mr Choubey told PTI.
Mr Choubey is in the Kolkata for official meetings with several health institutions, besides state ministers.
On reports of several people returning from Kerala to West Bengal fearing the virus, he said, "Our entire team is in place. The virus has been contained even in Kerala. There is no need to run away from anywhere."
Nipah virus has not led to any deaths in West Bengal.
The Kerala government has advised travelers to
avoid visiting the four districts of Kozhikode, Malappuram, Wayanad and Kannur as a precautionary measure.
Mr Choubey said that people who lost family members because of the Nipah virus, have been treated in isolation and were totally out of danger.
"We have treated the family of those persons who were infected by and
died because of Nipah virus. They were kept in isolation in Pune's National Institute of Virology," the minister added.
"As per the latest report of the Central High Level Team, Nipah Virus is not a major outbreak and its occurrence is limited to two districts Kozhikode and Malappuram in Kerala," an advisory issued by the National Centre for Disease Control said.
"There is no need for the general public to be apprehensive about the safety of their family members. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is closely monitoring the situation," the department under the Health Ministry added.