Shillong, Feb 25: The social media posts about the Nipah virus attack in the Assam Regiment Centre (ARC) are fake, said the defence PRO on Wednesday.
A social media post titled ‘Public Notice’ said, “At present, a lockdown is being enforced in ARC and GTC. It is said that the Nipah virus has spread from newly recruited Agniveer soldiers. Even if we have work to do at ARC, entry is not allowed without wearing a mask. All shops inside and outside ARC have also been closed, and visitors are not allowed to enter. Therefore, it would be wiser not to go there now.”
However, the defence PRO confirmed that it was the meningococcal bacterial infection and not Nipah.
The bacteria cause a severe, rapidly progressing disease leading to life-threatening meningitis (brain lining infection) or meningococcemia (blood poisoning). High fever, severe headache and stiff neck are some of the symptoms.
In 2008, over 30 people, mostly from Garo Hills, died of the same bacteria and over 200 were affected.
