Kozhikode: As a precaution against the Nipah virus, a team of experts from the National Institute of Virology in Pune conducted its annual inspection of the habitats of bats in the Kozhikode district in Kerala.

The team visited Kodiyathur, Manassery, Koduvally and Manipuram on Thursday. The team observed that there have been no changes in the nature of the habitats. The expert visits have been taking place every year since the death of a 12-year-old boy from Pazhur in the Chathamangalam panchayat in Kozhikode in 2021.

Dr Arun Sathyan of the Kerala Forest Department who was part of the team said that once the climate becomes favourable, they will collect the samples from fruit bats – which normally circulates the virus – to check the presence of Nipah.

Kerala witnessed an outbreak of Nipah at Perambra in Kozhikode in May 2018 resulting in 21 deaths. The team included Dr Ullas and Dr Kannan from the Virology Institute.