Latest news with #Nipah
News18
5 hours ago
- News18
Bat Meat In Your 'Chicken' Biryani? Shocking Food Scam Busted In Tamil Nadu, 2 Held
Two men in Tamil Nadu were caught hunting fruit bats and selling the meat as chicken. The illegal trade was busted by forest officials during a raid in Salem district In a disturbing case that has raised serious concerns over food safety and wildlife protection, two men were arrested for hunting fruit bats and selling their meat disguised as chicken at roadside eateries in Tamil Nadu's Salem district. The incident came to light after the Forest Department raided the Thoppur Ramasamy forest area on the night of July 25, acting on local reports of gunshots in the region. During the raid, forest officials caught the suspects red-handed while they were preparing bat meat by boiling it at the site. Upon interrogation, the accused confessed to selling the meat as chilli chicken and other popular dishes at fast-food stalls in the Danishpettai area of Omalur. Officials confirmed that unsuspecting customers were consuming the bat meat believing it to be chicken. Experts have flagged this practice as a major public health risk. Fruit bats are known carriers of life-threatening viruses, including Nipah, Ebola, Marburg, and Rabies. Consuming undercooked or contaminated bat meat can lead to severe disease outbreaks. A similar case in Congo earlier this year reportedly led to the deaths of over 50 people after the consumption of infected bat meat. This is not the first such incident in India. In recent years, authorities have uncovered multiple cases of wildlife meat being passed off as chicken. In 2020, crow meat was sold in Rameswaram; in 2021, Bengaluru reported cases involving rat and dog meat; and just last year, similar suspicions at the Bengaluru railway station sparked public outrage. The two accused, identified as Kamal (36) and Selvam (35), were arrested under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. They were remanded to judicial custody on July 28. Ranger Vimal Kumar, who led the operation, confirmed that a broader investigation is underway to trace the extent of the illegal activity and determine if others were involved. The case has renewed calls for stricter surveillance and regulation of street food vendors to safeguard public health and prevent wildlife exploitation. view comments First Published: July 30, 2025, 15:09 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Global News
2 days ago
- Health
- Global News
University of Saskatchewan researchers study bats to combat future pandemics
Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) researchers at the University of Saskatchewan are studying bats to find a cure for future pandemics. Dr. Arinjay Banerjee says that bats do not get sick, but they still manage to carry and keep many viruses alive. The focus of their research is to uncover why the bats do not get sick and turn that into a cure for future pandemics. Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The studies will help scientists come up with quicker vaccinations for diseases like COVID-19, lowering potential mortality rates. So far, three research papers have come from four years' worth of research. The first paper looks at how bats transfer diseases like the Nipah virus to animals humans are commonly exposed to, like pigs. The second paper expands on how viruses survive in bats and why bats have a higher tolerance for getting sick compared to humans. Story continues below advertisement The final paper looked at immune responses in both bats and humans and how that can lead to creating vaccines and medicine for future pandemics. Watch the video above to learn more about Dr. Banerjee, his team and how they plan to protect against the next global pandemic.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
400 frontline forest staff identified for zoonotic disease screening
PUNE: In a bid to enhance early detection and raise awareness about zoonotic diseases, nearly 400 forest and zoo staff members in Maharashtra have been shortlisted for medical screening. Registration for the screening process will begin soon, followed by a series of medical tests. The initiative aims to safeguard both wildlife and human populations by identifying potential risks of disease transmission among individuals most frequently in contact with animals. In a bid to enhance early detection and raise awareness about zoonotic diseases, nearly 400 forest and zoo staff members in Maharashtra have been shortlisted. ((PIC FOR REPRESENTATION)) Launched in January of this year, the program titled 'Building a Surveillance Model for Detecting Zoonotic Spillover in Increased Bird-Human Interaction Settings' adopts the one Health approach, a concept recognising the interconnection between people, animals, plants, and their shared environment. This pioneering project is a joint effort by the Maharashtra Forest Department, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, and Symbiosis International University. The program focuses on developing a real-time surveillance model to monitor zoonotic spillovers among frontline forest staff, zoo workers, bird sanctuary staff, and residents living near wetlands. Zoonotic diseases—those transmitted from animals to humans—are emerging as a significant global health threat. Notable examples include the Nipah virus, Ebola, Zika, SARS-CoV-2, Avian Influenza Virus (AIV), and Monkeypox. Despite the growing threat of zoonotic infections in India, scientists have noted a lack of comprehensive data on such diseases within the country. Since its launch, several awareness and sensitisation programs have already been conducted in districts such as Satara, Ahilyanagar, Solapur, and Junnar. Dr Satish Pande, a conservationist and researcher leading the sensitisation program, shared that the response to the initiative has been overwhelmingly positive. Following the sensitisation sessions, many frontline workers expressed eagerness to enrol. To date, 400 staff members have been identified for enrollment, with the registration process still ongoing. Once registration is complete, participants will undergo medical check-ups, including blood tests, to assess if they have been exposed to any viral infections via the presence of antibodies. Following the initial assessments, the health of each participant will be monitored over the next three years. In Maharashtra, four wild animals—including three tigers and one leopard—have died this year due to Avian influenza. Across India, at least three human deaths linked to zoonotic diseases have been reported. These cases highlight the increasing concern over zoonotic infections, particularly as viruses continue to breach species barriers. Frontline workers, who have frequent contact with both animals and local communities, are emerging as a potential link in the transmission chain. Dr Pande emphasised that this program will provide close health monitoring for these key personnel, making a significant contribution to both wildlife conservation and public health safety.
CTV News
6 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
‘Potential vaccines': Sask. research studies bats to prevent next disease outbreak
Researchers at the Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Organization (VIDO) are using bats to try and prevent disease. Scientists have long been using animals as inspiration to fight disease, antibiotics from bacteria, or infection fighting immune molecules studied in fruit flies. 'Our goal is to understand how bats can coexist with these viruses,' said Arinjay Banerjee, principal scientist at VIDO. 'Bats don't get sick like us humans, so we want to identify what is it about the bat immune system and take that knowledge and develop that into therapeutics for humans.' His team have recently published three papers for journals that Banerjee calls a pandemic playbook. One looked at the response to the Nipah virus in southeast Asia, and how effective surveillance and warning systems were at mitigating the spread. Another identified a gene called GBP1 that may help bats mount a faster antibody response than humans, making them able to live with different viruses without adverse effects. 'I think what we'd like to do is identify more genes, we're not done yet,' said Banerjee. 'There's a whole list of genes we're looking at, and those studies are going to come out soon. So it's probably a collection of responses that happen in a living bat that allows it to coexist with these viruses.' Evolutionary biologist Dan Riskin says there are a lot of ways bats are different from humans. He says finding the genes that actually matter when it comes to immune response is important. 'We need to be thinking outside of the box, and bats are definitely outside the box,' said Riskin. 'And so the fact that this team can look at the DNA of bats for solutions to the human problem is beyond brilliant.' He says bats have evolved over 50 million years, and there are now 1498 different species of them. 'Understanding the immune systems of bats and understanding the evolution of bats and how they protect themselves is a big solution for understanding how we can protect ourselves,' he said. With the team's recent findings, Banerjee says their vision is to develop a treatment or vaccine within the next 15 years. 'The next goal would be to see how we can actually therapeutics that gene for effective function in humans,' said Banerjee. 'And I'm not very worried because at VIDO, we do have very good regulatory scientists. They know how to take products into market.' He says finding the gene in bats is one hurdle, but your body would mount an immediate immune response if introduced to the human body. 'What we could do is modify, make modification in humanized proteins, which can then potentially become therapeutics or even potential vaccines,' said Banerjee.
India Today
21-07-2025
- Health
- India Today
Kerala has 571 on Nipah contact list, 27 at highest risk, says Health Minister
Kerala has placed 571 people on the Nipah virus contact list across five districts, Health Minister Veena George said after a high-level review meeting on contact list includes 62 individuals from Malappuram, 418 from Palakkad, 89 from Kozhikode, and one each from Ernakulam and people are currently under treatment in isolation in Malappuram. One person in Palakkad is also being treated in isolation. Meanwhile, ten people, one from Malappuram, two from Palakkad, and seven from Kozhikode, have been removed from the contact list after completing their isolation According to the health department, 27 people in the state fall under the highest risk category, while 78 are considered high health minister chaired a meeting with top officials, including the Additional Chief Secretary of Health, NHM State Mission Director, Directors of Health and Medical Education, District Collectors, police officials, and other department heads, to assess the situation and coordinate containment intensified surveillance follows the second Nipah-related death reported in Kerala last week. A 57-year-old man from Mannarkkad in Palakkad died after developing severe respiratory distress, initial tests confirmed Nipah a death was reported in Malappuram this year. In 2024, the state also saw another death linked to Nipah virus officials continue to urge vigilance and adherence to protocols to prevent further spread.- EndsMust Watch IN THIS STORY#Kerala
