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Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda, amid reports of two suspected Nipah virus cases in West Bengal, said that the government has initiated a coordinated response to prevent a potential outbreak.
Taking immediate action, the Union Minister said that the central government has deployed a National Joint Outbreak Response Team to support the State Government in containing the virus. The team comprises experts from the All India Institute of Health and Public Hygiene, Kolkata; the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune; the National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE), Chennai; AIIMS Kalyani; and the Department of Wildlife, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. "Yesterday, on January 11th, two suspected cases of Nipah virus were found at the ICMR Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratory in Kalyani... Coordinated action was immediately initiated to contain the outbreak. Upon receiving information about these cases last night, the Union Health Secretary discussed the situation with the Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary of Health of West Bengal. To provide assistance to West Bengal and to contain the outbreak, we immediately established a National Joint Outbreak Response Team. We have deployed a team with members from All India Institute of Health and Public Hygiene, Kolkata, National Institute of Virology, Pune, National Institute of Epidemiology, Chennai, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Kalyani, and Department of Wildlife, Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change to West Bengal," said Nadda. The Union Minister confirmed that protocols for the Nipah virus and other communicable diseases have been shared with the state's Integrated Disease Surveillance Unit, in accordance with central government guidelines. Furthermore, the Minister urged West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee to ensure her team of experts collaborates closely with the Indian government task force. "Our protocols for Nipah virus disease and communicable diseases have been shared with the state's Integrated Disease Surveillance Unit in accordance with central government guidelines. The National Centre for Disease Control and the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre have also been activated... I spoke to West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and asked her to instruct her team of experts to work closely with the Indian government team and put all their efforts into preventing this. They have assured me that they have activated the department..." added Nadda. Earlier, two suspected cases of Nipah virus disease were identified at the Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL), ICMR, AIIMS Kalyani, West Bengal. (ANI)
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