Wayanad: In the wake of an ICMR alert on the presence of Nipah virus in bats in Wayanad, authorities have urged the public to not disturb the natural habitats of bats. The public are also advised to not consume fruits bitten by bats and avoid exposure to farms and regions with habitats of bats.

District Medical Officer P Dineesh Kumar said Nipah virus in bats is not unusual, but virus shredding could happen when the mammals are disturbed. He has urged the public to not attack habitats of bats to avoid the possibility of virus shredding.

“The ICMR collected samples from bats in many districts in the state. The alert was issued after the virus was detected in samples taken from Wayanad in order to avoid the spread of the disease by ensuring thorough surveillance,” said Dineesh Kumar.

Earlier on the day, Health Minister Veena George said the presence of the virus in bats were found in Sulthan Bathery and Mananthavady. Health workers have been directed to create awareness at the grassroots by promptly reporting unique cases of fever with symptoms of Nipah.

In August-September this year, a Nipah virus outbreak was reported in the neighbouring district of Kozhikode. Two deaths were reported. Being the neighbouring district, Wayanad, especially the border regions and farmlands, were under high alert then.