Kozhikode: Amidst the scare prevailing over the outbreak of novel coronavirus and bird flu in Kerala, over 100 bats were found dead in the district on Tuesday, raising serious concerns.
According to reports, a colony of over 100 bats was found dead at Kaarimoola in Karassery panchayat. The bats were residing in a tree and the deaths came to light after locals informed about it to the Animal Husbandry department.
The deaths have set alarm bells ringing as earlier in 2018, at least 17 people had died in the state due to the Nipah virus (NiV) infection that causes severe disease in both animals and humans. The natural host of the virus are fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family, Pteropus genus.
The virus spreads through close contact with people's secretions and excretions. Eating food which may have the droplets of saliva and urine of infected bats can lead to the transmission of the virus.
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The development comes at a time when authorities have begun culling of domesticated birds and hens as part of the Kerala government's precautionary measures following the outbreak of bird flu.
The health authorities culled as many as 3,000 birds within a one-km radius of two poultry farms at Vengeri and Kodiyathoor where the outbreak was reported last week.
Nearly 200 trained staff and support members in as many as 25 rapid response squads of five each are in the process of culling an estimated 12,000 birds, mostly chicken besides turkey and love birds.
The Rapid Action Force is continuing their efforts to contain the spread.
The local people, however, feel that culling alone will not contain the outbreak of bird flu as according to reports, the disease spreads from migratory birds as well. Earlier too, migratory birds were reported to have died enmasse in Kerala and authorities advised people to exercise great caution.
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