Health authorities have taken the fight against the Nipah virus to the heart of Kolkata, conducting RT-PCR tests on the bat population at Alipore Zoo. A team from the National Institute of Medical Research spent Thursday and Friday collecting blood and swab samples from the zoo's residents to rule out any potential infection, according to senior forest officials.
The operation was a low-profile affair, timed to ensure it didn't disrupt the public. Alipore Zoo Director Tripti Sah confirmed that the team completed their work and moved on before the gates opened to visitors at 9 AM on both days. The zoo remains a focal point for the city’s surveillance simply because it houses Kolkata's only dedicated bat enclosure.
This state-wide hunt for the virus's source follows the worrying news of two health workers testing positive for Nipah at a private hospital in Barasat earlier this month. Since then, the National Institute of Virology (NIV) and ICMR have been scouring bat colonies in Madhyamgram, Barasat, and Basirhat. On Saturday, the expert team shifted their focus to Nadia district to continue the collection drive.
State Chief Wildlife Warden Sandeep Sundriyal noted that while catching bats requires strict Forest Department permission, the process has been streamlined to help the Health Department act quickly. He urged the public not to panic, stating that Alipore Zoo has already implemented "advanced preventive steps" and that the testing is a standard precautionary measure.
Nipah is currently classified as a "notifiable disease," meaning every development must be reported directly to the central government. While the zoo awaits the test results, which are expected in the next few days, the state remains on high alert. The big question — whether the zoo’s bats are completely safe — won't be answered until the labs in Pune or Delhi send back their findings.
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