Mysuru: With Nipah Virus posing a severe threat in neighbouring Kerala, in which over a dozen people have lost their lives in recent days, the Mysuru District Administration is on high alert and is leaving no chances to ensure that the deadly disease does not spread to the city and district.

Explaining the measures taken by the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) in this regard, senior MCC Health Officer Dr. H. Ramachandra said that street vendors across the city have been asked not to sell cut fruits in open and also not to sell bitten or damaged fruits.

Stressing on the need for consuming only cleaned fruits, he said that all juice shops in the city have been ordered to clean fruits only with hot water before use and to discard rotten / damaged / bitten fruits.

Pointing out that use of water from old wells in residential houses may be one of the reasons for catching the virus, as many such old wells are bats infested, he warned such house owners not to use water drawn from these old wells without boiling it, Dr. Ramachandra said and added that the MCC will be holding a meeting with veterinary doctors this afternoon on future measures to be taken to check the spread of the deadly Nipah virus.

District Surveillance Officer Dr. Kusuma said that no Nipah Virus cases have been reported in the city or district so far and the people should not unnecessarily get scared.

Listing out the measures to be taken by the residents, she said that pig rearers must compulsorily maintain hygienity and pig owners should ensure that there is no stray pig on the road.

Asking the people not to buy cut / damaged / bird-bitten fruits, she said that people must wash fruits before consumption.

District Vector-borne Diseases Control Officer Dr. Chidambara said that 10 isolated beds have been reserved as a precautionary measure in all major hospitals, including K.R. Hospital. The room containing these beds will have proper ventilation and appropriate measures have been in place to ensure that Nipha Virus does not spread to Mysuru, which is located in close proximity to Kerala.]