Kerala: No traces of Nipah virus found in rambutan, areca samples

The samples that were collected from various places in Chathamangalam panchayat were tested at the Pune Institute of Virology. The results, which were out on Saturday, found no traces of Nipah in them.

Kozhikode: In a relief for Kerala, the state's health department on Saturday confirmed that it did not find any trace of Nipah virus in Chathamangalam, where a boy died of the virus a few days ago. The officials arrived at the decision after samples from several fruits and commercial crops, including rambutan and areca, collected from various parts of Chathamangalam panchayat, returned negative results at the Pune Institute of Virology.

A central team had visited Chathamangalam to inspect the area and trace the origins of Nipah there. Preliminary reports by experts hinted that the 11-year-old boy might have been infected with the virus from rambutan. They also suspected that goats may have been the carrier of the virus as the boy had taken them out for grazing in a bat-infested area.

Experts from the central team had also collected samples from animals and birds in the region and their results, too, have turned out to be negative. Meanwhile, the sample test of wild boar is yet to come. Previously, all those who were in contact with the deceased boy were tested negative for Nipah.