Hyderabad, Himachal On Alert In Wake Of Nipah Virus Outbreak In Kerala; 2 Suspected Cases Reported

Two people with suspected Nipah symptoms have been admitted to a hospital in Hyderabad, raising fears of the deadly epidemic reported in Kerala spreading to other parts of India.

According to reports, one of the two men who are now admitted in isolated wards had visited Kerala recently with a group of tourists.

PTI/ Representational Image

Health authorities in Telangana, however, said that the chances of the samples testing positive are less as the place he had visited was hundreds of kilometers away from the areas where Nipah virus was reported in Kerala.

Telangana Health Minister C Laxma Reddy on Tuesday said the health department is on alert against the Nipah virus.

In a similar development, a alert has been issued in Nahan, Himachal Pradesh after 18 dead bats were found in the premises of a government school. Fruit bats are believed to be the carriers of the deadly virus which has already claimed more than 10 lives in Kerala.

PTI/ Representational Image

Animal Husbandry officials believe that the bats found dead had died of heat and not any infection. However, samples have been sent to Pune¡¯s National Institute of Virology to examine if there was any case of infection.

Meanwhile, the Central High-level Team appointed by Union Health Minister, which was in Kerala to monitor the Nipah situation in Kerala has concluded that the disease is not a major outbreak and is only a local occurrence.