Tests in the National Institute of Virology in Pune have ruled out bats, found dead at Government Senior Secondary School in Barmapapri in Sirmour district of Himachal Pradesh, were carrying the Nipah virus, top health department officer said today.
Additional Chief Secretary, Health B.K. Agarwal in a meeting today, revealed that few days back samples from dead bats in Sirmaur were collected and sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune for testing and all the samples were reported negative for Nipah Virus.
Agarwal stated that apart from outbreak of Nipah Virus in two districts of Kerela State no information regarding its spread has been reported from any other part of the State as well as the country.
He said that only fruit bats (flying fox) have been found carrying this virus. These types of bats are found in the coastal regions of the county. Therefore there is no possibility of Nipah Virus in the bats found in Himachal Pradesh.
Additional Chief Secretary has advised people not to panic about the Nipah Virus. He said that all the medical colleges of the State were prepared to deal with the situation, if occurs.
