Tests rule out bats as source of Nipah virus
Kozhikode, May 25: Tests have ruled out bats being behind the spread of the Nipah virus that took 12 lives in Kerala's Kozhikode and Malappuram districts, officials said on Friday.
A total of 21 samples from bats and pigs were sent to the High Security Animal Diseases laboratory at Bhopal but all turned out negative according to the results, obtained late Friday evening, said officials.
Early this week, a team led by Central Animal Husbandry Commissioner S.P. Suresh, after examination of animals in the affected areas near here, said no incidence of Nipah virus had been identified in animals and it was the humans who had been affected.
The samples sent to Bhopal included those taken from bats found in the house of disease victim Moosa in the worse-affected Perambara village. His two sons and another relative also succumbed.
All the 21 samples were collected from in and nearby Perambara.
Transmission of NiV takes place through direct contact with infected bats, pigs or from other NiV-infected people.
With the results showing that this virus has not come from bats, the authorities have now decided to conduct more tests to locate its source.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Karnataka HM G Parameshwara blames EVM for Cong debacle in Maharashtra, backs ballot papers
BENGALURU: Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara on Monday alleged Electronic Voting Machine manipulations led to the defeat of Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance in just concluded assembly polls in Maharashtra.
While speaking to reporters here on Monday, he said the BJP does selective manipulations to convince people that there were no wrongdoings. He also wanted to go back to the paper ballots system.
The ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra won a landslide victory in the assembly elections, shattering the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi's dream to wrest power. The BJP won the highest ever 132 seats for the party, while the Shiv Sena led by Shinde bagged 57 seats and NCP won 41 seats to take the Mahayuti total to 230 seats. Congress as part of MVA won just 16 seats.
ALSO READ: Fan tries to die by suicide over Nikhil Kumaraswamy's bypoll loss
"We analysed the Maharashtra poll outcome deeply. We felt that in many places EVMs were manipulated," Parameshwara said. He also said an obvious question would be why not it happened in Jharkhand and elsewhere. The manipulations are done selectively so that no one can question it, he blamed.
According to him, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha is a leading partner. Had the Congress been the leading partner, things would have changed. He backed the ballot papers saying that the same was discussed in Maharashtra Congress as well.
