Kolkata's Alipore Zoo steps up precautions, bat monitoring amid Nipah concerns

Kolkata, Jan 15 (PTI) Amidst concerns over Nipah virus in the state, Alipore Zoological Gardens here has stepped up precautionary and monitoring measures across its premises, including intensified monitoring of resident fruit bats or Indian flying foxes and enhanced sanitation and disinfection protocols, a senior official said on Thursday.

Speaking to PTI, Alipore Zoo Director Tripti Shah said all visitor areas, including roads and roadsides, are being disinfected every evening.

"Animal enclosures, both inside and outside, are being cleaned and disinfected twice daily," she said, adding that virucidal disinfectants containing hypochlorite and other chemical agents are being used.

She said precautionary measures also include strict waste management, enclosure sanitation, spraying of antiviral medicines and routine monitoring of bats on the premises.

Addressing concerns over bats as a potential source of the Nipah virus, Shah clarified that there are no bat enclosures in the zoo.

"Bats are not housed in enclosures here. They are free-living and naturally roost on trees, as the zoo has a large number of trees," she said.

She added that bats in the zoo are not part of any animal display system and are free-ranging, similar to crows.

"They are not provided food by the zoo. They stay here on their own and can move elsewhere if they wish," Shah said.

The bats seen on the premises are commonly referred to as fruit bats or Indian flying foxes, she said, adding that no formal census or enumeration of bats has ever been carried out at the zoo.

Zoo staff entering animal enclosures have been mandated to use gloves and masks, and are required to dip their feet in footbaths before entering and after leaving enclosures, she added.

"Bat droppings are found beneath the trees where the bats roost, but these are cleaned regularly. People are not alarmed by the droppings as they are aware that the infection mainly spreads through bats licking or biting fruits," Shah said.

A zoo official, however, said visitor footfall has not declined despite the Nipah outbreak in the state, as winter is a peak season with a heavy rush of visitors to zoos.

Meanwhile, the health condition of two nurses, who had earlier tested positive for Nipah infection and are admitted at Barasat Hospital, remained extremely critical, a health department official said.

Two more nurses were on Wednesday admitted to the Beliaghata ID Hospital here after they showed symptoms of Nipah virus infection. The two were engaged in the treatment of a health worker who had tested positive for the virus at Burdwan Medical College and Hospital.

One of the duo was brought to the city hospital late on January 13 night, while the other, a house staff member, was shifted from the Bardhaman facility early on Wednesday, the official added. PTI PNT MNB