Nipah Surveillance Begins at Kolkata’s Alipore Zoo

RR Team

7 hours ago

Kolkata: Amid concerns of a potential Nipah virus outbreak, bats at Alipore Zoo in Kolkata underwent RT-PCR testing over two days, according to officials. The tests aim to rule out the presence of the virus in the only facility in Kolkata housing a bat enclosure.

The National Institute of Medical Research team collected blood and swab samples on January 22 and 23, completing the process before the zoo opened to visitors at 9 a.m., said Tripti Sah, Director of Alipore Zoo. Precautionary measures were strictly followed during the sampling process.

Earlier this month, two health workers in Barasat, North 24 Parganas district, tested positive for the Nipah virus. As part of the effort to trace the source, bats from Madhyamgram, Barasat, and Basirhat were also sampled. The testing is jointly conducted by the National Institute of Virology (NIV) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) under the supervision of the Health Department, with support from the Forest Department.

West Bengal Chief Wildlife Warden Sandeep Sundriyal confirmed that all sampling procedures followed due protocol, including permissions from the Forest Department for capturing bats. He reassured the public, stating that there is no immediate cause for panic.

Health Department sources said test results are expected in the coming days. Meanwhile, the expert team is scheduled to visit Nadia district on January 24 as part of the ongoing statewide Nipah surveillance exercise.