ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
(DR. HARSH VARDHAN)
(a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 8* FOR 21ST JUNE, 2019
(a): Human Nipah virus infection is an emerging zoonotic disease in which Nipah virus is transmitted to humans from infected bats, pigs or other animals. Nipah virus outbreaks in India have only been reported from two states; West Bengal (2001 and 2007) and in Kerala in 2018 and now in 2019.
Details of outbreaks:
Year Cases Deaths Affected States / Districts
2001 66 45 West Bengal (Siliguri)
2007 5 5 West Bengal (Nadia)
2018 19 17 (16 lab confirmed, index case- not lab confirmed) Kerala (Kozhikode and Malappuram)
2019 1 0 Kerala (Ernakulum )
In 2019 only one case was reported which has been discharged. During this outbreak, contact tracing was done for 330 contacts and 50 symptomatic contacts were quarantined, samples from these were also tested for Nipah virus and all were found to be negative. Out of 36 Pteropus species bats tested for Nipah, 12(33%) were found to be positive for “anti Nipah bat IgG antibodies”.
(b) & (c): Considering the mode of Nipah virus transmission from bats to humans and thereafter from infected humans to humans; multi-disciplinary teams including doctors and experts from MoH&FW {National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Emergency Medical Relief Division (EMR), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)}, Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries (DADF), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare and Wildlife Division of MoE,F&CC was deputed to assist the investigation in humans and animals (bats / animals / livestock) and environment. The central teams assisted the state government in epidemiological investigation, contact tracing, surveillance, technical support for firming up treatment protocols, ventilator management, infection prevention and control measures and use of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE).
The teams also assisted the state government for risk communication to the community, public, stakeholders and other partners. NIV, Pune tested the samples from humans and bats and the Wildlife Division was involved in collection of bats. Government of India has also issued the following guidelines:
• Brief on Nipah Virus disease
• Advisory for General Public
• Advisory for Health Care Personnel
• Guidelines for sample collection for Nipah Virus
• Hospital infection control guidelines
• Laboratory Biosafety guidelines
For prevention of further outbreaks, the Ministry of Health &FW has established mechanism for sharing of data between animal and human surveillance networks for early detection of infection among humans and mapping of hotspots, which have potential for transmission of infection from animals to humans in areas.
(d): No Sir
(e): MoHFW has developed Information Education and communication (IEC) material for increasing community awareness on possible modes of getting infection and further transmission among humans. Govt. has also issued advisories for general public and health care personnel for prevention and control of Nipah in humans. These advisories have also been uploaded on the MoHFW website and shared with states.
In addition, advisory and IEC material with regard to other viral diseases which are potential public health threats like H1N1, Chikungunya, Dengue, Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD) in various parts of the country have also been issued from time to time and are uploaded in public domain on websites of National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), Director General of Health Services (DGHS), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW).
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