Amid concerns over a possible Nipah virus threat, bats at Kolkata’s Alipore Zoo are undergoing RT-PCR testing to rule out infection, a senior state Forest department official said on Saturday.
A team from the National Institute of Medical Research collected blood and swab samples from the bats at the zoo over two days — Thursday and Friday — before leaving soon after completing the process, the official said. The sample collection was completed before the zoo opened to visitors at 9 am on both days.
“The team collected swab samples from bats and left. They have followed all the protocols during the process,” Alipore Zoo Director Tripti Sah told PTI.
The testing is part of a broader surveillance exercise being carried out across West Bengal following the detection of Nipah virus cases. Two health workers at a private hospital in Barasat in North 24 Parganas district tested positive for the virus earlier this month. Nipah virus is a notifiable disease, requiring immediate reporting to the central government.
As part of efforts to trace the potential source of the infection, RT-PCR tests are being conducted on bats in various parts of the state. Samples have recently been collected from bat populations in Madhyamgram, Barasat and Basirhat. Alipore Zoo is the only facility in Kolkata that houses a bat enclosure, leading health authorities to include it in the surveillance drive.
The testing is being conducted jointly by the National Institute of Virology (NIV) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) under the supervision of the state Health department, with logistical support from the state Forest department.
State Chief Wildlife Warden Sandeep Sundriyal said the process was carried out strictly in accordance with established procedures.
“Catching bats require prior permission from the Forest department. The Health department sought approval, which we granted,” Sundriyal said.
“Expert teams are visiting areas where bats are present across the state and collecting samples. The same process was followed at Alipore Zoo,” he said.
Sundriyal added that precautionary measures were already in place at the zoo.
“The zoo authorities have taken advanced preventive steps. There is no reason for immediate panic,” Sundriyal said.
Test results are expected in the coming days, a senior official of the state Health department said.
“Whether the bats at Alipore Zoo are completely safe will be known after the test reports arrive,” a health department source said.
Meanwhile, the expert team is scheduled to visit Nadia district on Saturday to collect bat samples as part of the ongoing statewide Nipah surveillance exercise.