Poultry not tested for Nipah, no issues, says MCVR

Poultry not tested for Nipah, no issues, says MCVR

www.mangaloretoday.com

Mangaluru, June 3, 2018: Damping out all rumours, Manipal Centre for Virus Research (MCVR), Manipal Academy of Higher Education, has confirmed it has not tested any poultrysamples for the Nipah virus (NiV).

The clarification comes in the wake of a widely circulated message which claims otherwise. “It has been confirmed by MCVR and doctors, that the Nipah virus is being spread by chicken,” reads the fake message, that is widely circulated.

Asking people not to pay heed to the above text, Dr G Arunkumar, professor and head, MCVR, stated in a communique, “It is to bring to the notice of the public that MCVR has not tested any chicken samples for the Nipah virus, and has not reported any such findings as being claimed in the message.”

He said the centre has filed a police complaint at the crime cell branch in Udupi in this regard. He also cautioned that any more forwards of such a nature will be liable for legal action.

DK  District health officer Dr Ramakrishna Rao on June 2,  Saturday reiterated that the Dakshina Kannada district is free from the Nipah threat. “Neither confirmed nor suspected cases of the Nipah virus are documented in the district,” he said.