West Bengal has launched a special bat survey in Nadia district. The state government wants to find the source of the recent Nipah virus outbreak. This decision comes after two nurses tested positive for the virus earlier this week.
Survey Focuses on Nadia District
Officials from the Forest Department confirmed the survey will start in Nadia. Primary investigations suggest the infection may have originated there. A senior Health Department official explained the reasoning behind this move.
"Nipah virus generally spreads from bats, which is why a survey of bats will be conducted," the official stated.
The Forest Department has granted permission for this specialized study. They acknowledge lacking the necessary expertise internally. Therefore, a special committee will conduct the entire survey.
How the Survey Will Work
The expert committee plans to collect blood and urine samples from bats in vulnerable areas. These samples will then be sent for culture testing. Officials hope the culture reports will help identify the exact source of the virus.
"Once the culture report is available, the source can be identified," a senior Forest Department official said.
The committee will also decide whether to extend the survey to other districts based on initial findings.
Current Situation and Quarantine Measures
Around 100 people in West Bengal are currently in home quarantine. This precaution follows the positive Nipah tests of two nurses at a private hospital in Barasat, North 24 Parganas district.
Health authorities are closely monitoring about 30 individuals from this group. The condition of the two infected nurses remains critical. One nurse is a man from Purba Medinipur district. The other is a woman from Mongolkot in Purba Bardhaman district.
Contact Tracing Reveals Possible Transmission Path
Contact tracing efforts have uncovered important details about the female nurse's movements. She attended a family wedding in Nadia on December 15 and 17. After the wedding, she visited several locations including Shantiniketan.
She fell ill later and was admitted to a medical college in South Bengal. The male nurse worked night duty with her at the hospital on December 20 and 21.
A senior health official shared their suspicion about the infection's origin. "We suspect the infection or contamination started in Nadia where the female nurse went for a family ceremony," the official said.
This suspicion directly informs the decision to begin the bat survey in Nadia first. The state aims to contain the outbreak by identifying and addressing its source promptly.
