Citing an ICMR report, the Kerala government on Wednesday said that there was a possibility of the Nipah virus presence in bats in the Wayanad district of the state.
State Health Minister Veena George said that the Indian Council of Medical Research gave this information based on its studies of the bat samples collected by it.
The minister said that it does not mean there were fresh cases of the virus in that district and was only intended to caution and alert the state's health system and the general public.
She said that not only in Wayanad, there was a possibility of the virus' presence in bats in other districts also.
George was speaking to reporters about the current status of the Nipah outbreak in the state which had infected six people in Kozhikode district last month and of whom two had died.
The minister said that all those people who were on the contact list of those infected had completed their isolation and quarantine periods.
She also said that it was a matter of pride that the state was able to restrict Nipah's mortality rate, which is around 70-90 per cent, to 33 per cent.
The minister also referred to the various measures, like the issuance of Kozhikode-specific standard operating protocols (SOPs), taken by the government to combat the virus.
Additionally, a Kerala One Health Centre for Nipah Research has also been created, she said.
Presently, there will be a consolidation of the field activities of all departments with regard to public health and will be a part of the Kozhikode Medical College, the minister said.
However, moving forward, the intention is to develop it as an independent research institute with its own infrastructure, she said.
Of the two deaths due to Nipah, the first person who died on August 30 was found to be the index case, or patient zero, from whom others caught the infection.
The outbreak of the virus this year was the fourth in the state since 2018. PTI HMP HMP KH
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Featured Video Of The Day
Imran Khan's Party To Be Banned By Pak For Alleged Anti-State Activities
Nipah Virus: Know Symptoms, Transmission, Preventive Measures And More Kerala Prepares Special Action Calendar To Prevent Nipah Virus Outbreak Kerala Approaches Supreme Court Against Governor Reserving 7 Bills For President's Assent Travel Influencer Aanvi Kamdar Dies After Falling Off A Waterfall Near Mumbai Amid Huge Row, Karnataka Pauses Bill For Reservation In Private Sector Firms BJP Subtly Asking Ajit Pawar To Quit "Mahayuti": Sharad Pawar's NCP West Bengal Forms Seven-Member Panel To Review New Criminal Laws US Military Declares End Of Troubled Gaza Aid Pier Mission What Is PM SHRI? Which States Resisted Centres Showcase Schools Scheme Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.