Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (KVASU) Vice Chancellor M.R. Saseendranath has said that the university will adopt all possible steps to fight the spread of zoonotic diseases such as Avian influenza or bird flu and Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD), or monkey fever, outbreak in the State.
Addressing a press meet at the university headquarters at Pookode in the district on Thursday, Dr. Saseendranath said that the scientists and faculties of various departments of the university were providing timely advice and technical assistance to departments such as Health, Forest and Animal Husbandry and district administrations in the State to keep zoonosis at bay.
‘Now, the university is preparing to set up a high-tech laboratory at its Mannuthy campus at a cost of ₹32 crore,” Dr. Saseendranath said, adding that the lab would be set up with financial assistance from NABARD. Registrar N. Ashok said that the university was now trying to mark its presence in all districts of the State. The government was planning to set up a duck production and research centre in Alappuzha and one more veterinary college in the southern districts.
The scientists of the university would collect ticks which transmit zoonosis such as KFD from monkeys to humans, Dr. Ashok said, adding that they would continue their research on ticks round the year.
The university has been organising an assessment study on Avian flu transmitted by migratory birds in the State for the past three years, he said. The microbiology department was maintaining vigilance to prevent the spread of new respiratory infections in migratory birds, he said.
