Chennai, 18 January (H.S.) : The Tamil Nadu government has issued an urgent advisory to step up statewide disease surveillance and hospital preparedness following the confirmation of Nipah virus cases in West Bengal. The Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, DPHPM, has directed all district and city health officers to heighten vigilance, particularly for cases of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome, AES.
This move aims to ensure early detection and prevent any potential spillover of the zoonotic disease into the state. Health authorities have been instructed to monitor patients presenting with fever and altered sensorium, especially those with a recent travel history to affected regions.
According to the official communication, the incubation period for the Nipah virus ranges from 6 to 21 days, and it can cause severe neurological and respiratory illnesses. The state has reinforced strict infection control protocols and mandated that all suspected cases be reported immediately through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, IDSP, portal.
Testing facilities for the virus are currently available at the National Institute of Virology, NIV, in Pune. Healthcare workers have been specifically advised to use personal protective equipment, PPE, and follow rigorous disinfection protocols while managing patients in isolation wards to prevent human-to-human transmission.
The government has also issued public safety guidelines, advising citizens to avoid consuming raw date palm sap or toddy and to eat only thoroughly washed fruits. People are cautioned against handling partially eaten fruits or entering abandoned wells, which are common habitats for fruit bats, the natural reservoir of the virus.
Furthermore, mortuary staff have been instructed to use sealed body bags and protective gear when handling related fatalities. While urging the public to remain calm, the health department emphasized that timely reporting and strict adherence to these precautions are essential to maintaining public health safety.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Dr. R. B. Chaudhary
