Lok Sabha Question No. 189 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-21
Subject: Monitoring of Nipah Virus Infection
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: T.N. Prathapan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 189 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21 ST JUNE,2019

## MONITORING OF NIPAH VIRUS INFECTION

## 189. SHRI T.N. PRATHAPAN:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  has identified  the  source  of  Nipah  Virus infection  in  recent  out breaks in Kerala and if so, the details thereof;

(b) the measures taken by the Government toensure regular monitoring against the spread of deadly virus like Nipah across the country since India forms a part of the territory of the flying foxes which spread Nipah Virus infection;

(c) whether there is any mechanism to check the movement of people from epidemic countries like Bangladesh and Malaysia, if so, the details thereof; and

(d)  the  actions  taken  by  the Government  to  monitor  the  current outbreak  of  Nipah  Virus  in Kerala?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a): During  the  2018  Nipah  virus  outbreak  in  Kerala,  52  Pteropus  giganteus  bats  we collected and a total of 10 samples (nineteen per cent) of the bats were found positive virus by 'Real Time qRT -PCR' lab tes ting technique.

(b): For early detection, monitoring and response to epidemic prone diseases (including N virus  disease) outbreaks,  Government  of  India  is  doing  surveillance  through  the  Integra Disease Surveillance Program (IDSP) and providing tech nical and financial support to all States under the National Health Mission (NHM).

(c): As per information received from Ministry of External Affairs, no screening for N Virus is required for issuance of Indian visas persons coming from Bangladesh and Malaysia.

(d): Immediately after the outbreak of Nipah virus disease was reported from Kerala in first week of June 2019, the Union Health & Family Welfare Minister took a review meeting a  Multi - disciplinary  Central  team  consisting  of  experts  fro m  the  National  Centre  for  Disease Control (NCDC), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and the Indian Council Medical Research (ICMR) was deployed in the affected district to assist and guide the health  authorities.  The  team  is  supporti ng  the  State  in  investigations,  contact  tracing,  sampl testing and management of the Nipah Virus Disease (NiVD).

Point  of  Care  Test  facility  has  been  established  by  the  National  Institute  of  V (NIV), Pune at Medical College Ernakulum. Experts fr om National Institute of High Security Animal  Diseases  (NIHSAD),  Bhopal  were  also  involved  with  the  local  Animal  Husbandry Department in investigation.

NIV, Pune deputed special teams to collect samples from Pteropus or fruit bats, whic the main res ervoir of Nipah virus disease. Out of 36 Pteropus species bats tested for Nip (33%) were found to be positive for 'anti Nipah bat IgG antibodies'. Strategic Health Operation Centre (SHOC) at NCDC has been activated since 4th June, 2019 and is coordinating with f teams on surveillance and response activities for Nipah containment. A dedicated phone - line has been established at SHOC to answer queri es of general public. Further, specific case definitio contact  tracing  and  treatment  &  clinical  management  protocol  have  been  provided  to  S authorities of Kerala.