Officials take custody of 'child labourer'

November 17, 2011

Mangalore, November 17: A minor girl, allegedly employed as a domestic help in the house of a business man in the city, was taken into custody by the officials on Monday, during a joint raid carried out by the District Labour Department, Child Development Project Office, the Women and Child Welfare Department and women police.

Based on a complaint received by a rural level officer of CDPO, a team of officials from the above departments raided the house of one Mansoor Husain at Old Kent Road, Pandeshwar and taken Minaz, a native of Tairkere taluk in Chikmagalur district into their custody.

Shocked by the unexpected raid the girl began to cry. However, the officials were succeeded to convince the little girl who initially protested and hesitated to leave the house and go with officials.

Although the age of the girl was not confirmed, CDPO officer Gangadher informed media persons that she might around 12-year-old. “We can't accurately speak of her age now. It would be known only after the medical and dental check-up”, he said.

He said that the girl will be handed over to Child Welfare Committee after examination.

The girl said that she came to the house around 10 days ago, along with his brother. She also said that she is a Class- VI student at Government Higher Primary School at Bergur village in Tarikere.

The officers who went to the spot at 10: 30 am, enquired the residents for more than two hours. Mr Gangadhar said that the residents of the house had a different version about the girl to narrate.

While contacted the house owner Husain over phone, as he was not present at the spot, he said that the girl might had visited the house on one or two days ago.

However, the family members, who were present at the house, said that the girl was staying at house since last 10 days.

“A poor boy from Tarikere had visited this house to collect Zakath in the month of Ramadan and we had given him some money. On his way back, the boy met with an accident and once again he came back seeking help. We provided him treatment at a hospital spending nearly Rs 30,000. Around 10 days ago, he once again visited our house along with his sister Minaz and we allowed her to stay her here for some days”, said one of the family members.

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No cases yet, but vigilance high: Karnataka braces for Nipah threat

News Network

February 3,2026

Bengaluru: Following reports of fresh Nipah virus (NiV) cases in West Bengal and heightened vigilance across parts of Southeast Asia, the Karnataka Health Department has placed the state on high alert and activated emergency preparedness protocols.

Health officials said enhanced surveillance measures have been initiated after two healthcare workers in Barasat, West Bengal, tested positive for the virus earlier this month. While no cases have been reported in Karnataka so far, authorities said the state’s past exposure to Nipah outbreaks and high inter-state mobility warranted preventive action.

Officials have directed district health teams to intensify monitoring, particularly at hospitals and points of entry, and to ensure early detection and isolation of suspected cases.

High Mortality Virus with Multiple Transmission Routes

Nipah virus is a zoonotic disease that can spread from animals to humans and has a reported fatality rate ranging between 60 and 75 per cent. Fruit bats, also known as flying foxes, are the natural reservoirs of the virus and can transmit it by contaminating food sources with saliva or urine.

Known modes of transmission include:

•   Contaminated food: Consumption of fruits partially eaten by bats or raw date-palm sap
•   Animal contact: Exposure to infected pigs or other animals
•   Human-to-human transmission: Close contact with body fluids of infected persons, particularly in healthcare settings

Symptoms and Disease Progression

The incubation period typically ranges from 4 to 14 days, though delayed onset has also been reported. Early symptoms often resemble common viral infections, making prompt clinical suspicion critical.

•   Initial symptoms: Fever, headache, body aches, fatigue, sore throat
•   Progressive symptoms: Drowsiness, disorientation, altered mental state
•   Severe stage: Seizures, neck stiffness and acute encephalitis, which can rapidly progress to coma

Public Health Advisory

The Health Department has issued precautionary guidelines urging the public to adopt risk-avoidance practices to prevent any local spillover.

Do’s
•   Wash fruits thoroughly before consumption
•   Drink boiled and cooled water
•   Use protective equipment while handling livestock
•   Maintain strict hand hygiene

Don’ts
•   Avoid fruits found on the ground or showing bite marks
•   Do not consume beverages made from raw tree sap, including toddy
•   Avoid areas with dense bat populations
•   Do not handle sick or dead animals

Preparedness Measures

Officials confirmed that isolation wards are being readied in major government hospitals and that medical staff are being sensitised to identify early warning signs.

“There is no cause for panic, but there is a need for heightened vigilance,” a senior health official said, adding that there is currently no approved vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for Nipah, and care remains largely supportive.

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