Lok Sabha Question No. 39 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-21
Subject: Newly Emerging Diseases due to Nipah Virus
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: N.K. Premachandran, Sushil Kumar Singh

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

LOK SABHA UNSTARRE D QUESTION NO. 39 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21 ST JUNE, 2019

## NEWLY EMERGING DISEA SES DUE TO NIPAH VIR US

## 39. SHRI N.K. PREMACHANDRAN: SHRI SUSHIL KUMAR SINGH:

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

- (a)  whether  the  Union  Government  has  received  any  report  from  the  Government  of  Keral regarding the newly emerging diseases that can be transmitted by the Nip ah virus and if so, the details thereof and the steps initiated to prevent the newly emerging diseases due to Nipa
- (b) whether the Union Government has issued guidelines and protocol for treatment of N virus diseases, if so, the details there of;
- (c) the action taken by the Government for empowering the general public to prevent and c the Nipah virus diseases;
- (d) the special arrangements made by the Union Government for sample collection from Nip virus patients and other guidelines given for the treatment of such patient; and
- (e) whether the Government proposes to send special team of doctors and paramedical staf the management of Nipah virus disease in Kerala, if so, the details thereof?

## A NSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a) to (e): Nipah virus causes only Nipah virus disease, which is a newly emerging disea In the first week of June, 2019 outbreak of Nipah virus disease has been reported from Kerala. Immediately, the Union Health & Family Welfare Minister took a review meeting and a Mult -disciplinary Central teams consisting of experts from the National Centre for Disease (NCDC), All India Institut e of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and the Indian Council of Medical Research  (ICMR)  was  deployed  in  the  affected  district  to  assist  and  guide  the  State authorities. The team is supporting the State in investigations, contact tracing, sample management of the Nipah Virus Disease (NiVD).

Point of Care Test facility has been established by the National Institute of Virology (N at  Medical  College  Ernakulum.  Experts  from  National  Institute  of  High  Security  Ani Diseases  (NIHSAD),  Bhopa l  are  supporting  the  local  Animal  Husbandry  Department  in investigation. NIV, Pune deputed special teams to collect samples from Pteropus or fruit b which are the main reservoir of Nipah virus disease .Out of 36 Pteropus species bats tested for Nipah, 12 (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  field  teams  on  surveillance  and  response  activities  for contain ment. A dedicated phone - line has been established at SHOC to answer queries of general public.

For  prevention  and  control  of  Nipah  Virus  Disease,  Government  of  India  has  issu protocols and guidelines:

- Brief on Nipah Virus disease
- Advisory for Genera l Public
- Advisory for Health Care Personnel
- Guidelines for sample collection for Nipah Virus
- Hospital infection control guidelines
- Laboratory Biosafety guidelines

Further , specific case definition, contact tracing and treatment and clinical management protocol has been provided to State authorities of Kerala

To prevent and control the Nipah Virus Disease, advisory for General Public havealso been issued , inter -alia, containing information about Nipah virus disease, how it spreads, who athigh risk of developing Nipah virus infection, measures to prevent, symptoms of Nipah vi disease, etc .