DIMAPUR, MAY 27 (MExN): The Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, Nagaland on Sunday said the department was keeping a tight vigil with constant updates on information through the Animal Disease Monitoring and Surveillance Cell on the Nipah virus. A press release received from Dr Aomangyang Walling, Additional Director (HoD), AH & Veterinary Services said a lot of questions relating to Nipah virus such as, whether the pig import to Nagaland should be banned, whether eating pork is safe, whether the news of Nipah virus is just a media hype, etc have been doing the rounds. While seeking to dispel fears, the department informed that Nipah Virus which is named after the Nipah River village in Malaysia is a new or emerging disease that can cause disease to human as well as animals. It was first recorded in Malaysia in 1998-99 which resulted in infection of 265 and death of 105 persons and 1.1 millions of pigs were destroyed. Since then, in India, there were two outbreaks in 2001 and in 2007. In both those outbreaks, infection or transmissions through pigs were ruled out. While the fruit eating bats, also called flying fox, is said to be the natural host of this virus which also affects animals such as pigs, dogs and horses, and can be spread to humans and cause serious illness and death among humans, the department pointed out that in the recent outbreak in Kerala, livestock and bats were not involved. In the meantime, the department has advised the public not to panic, to be aware and alert and most importantly avoid traveling to affected zones or avoid people coming from such places. It also asked the public to always maintain proper hygiene like washing hands especially after touching animals, before eating, proper washing of food items, etc, maintain healthy habits and keep one’s immune system at its optimum because the outcome of any infection depends on an individual’s defense mechanism.
