India: H5N1 avian influenza reported in poultry in Kottayam and Alappuzha, Kerala

[Shiloh]

Re: India: H5N1 avian influenza reported in poultry in Kottayam and Alappuzha, Kerala; vet, 2 others feverish

Source: http://www.newindianexpress.com/stat...cle2548924.ece


Bird Flu Confirmed in Chennithala
By Express News Service
Published: 01st December 2014 06:08 AM
Last Updated: 01st December 2014 06:08 AM


ALAPPUZHA: A test has confirmed the presence of H5N1 influenza virus in Chennithala panchayat here on Sunday. The brain samples of a duck collected from Chennithala has tested positive, and the Rapid Response Team constituted by the Animal Husbandry Department began the culling of ducks on Sunday. A test carried out two days ago in the AHD laboratory in Thiruvananthapuram had been found negative.

However, the department carried out another test at the Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bengaluru, which confirmed the presence of the virus. District Collector N Padmakumar said the AHD Department has begun culling of the birds in the area...

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: India: H5N1 avian influenza reported in poultry in Kottayam and Alappuzha, Kerala; vet, 2 others feverish

KERALA
KOTTAYAM, December 1, 2014
Culling concludes in Kumarakom panchayat
...
The sample from a person sent to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Laboratory in New Delhi had been tested negative, she said.

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/culling-concludes-in-kumarakom-panchayat/article6650410.ece

Nearly 2.60 lakh ducks culled in Kerala after outbreak of bird flu
PTI | December 01, 2014, 18.12 pm IST

Thiruvananthapuram: Nearly 2.60 lakh ducks had been culled since November 26 after the outbreak of H5NI virus in three affected districts of Kerala, where no person was found infected, Minister for Animal Husbandry K P Mohanan said on Monday.

Making a statement in the House under rule 300, he said preventive measures taken by government to check the spread of the disease to human beings included checks carried out on more than three lakh persons in the affected districts of Alappuzha, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta.

No person was found to have been infected, he said.
...

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/141201/nation-current-affairs/article/nearly-260-lakh-ducks-culled-kerala-after-outbreak-bird-flu

Bird flu: Rapid Response team use outdated protective gears for culling

Posted by Revathy bignews
Story Dated : December 1, 2014

Alappuzha: The protective equipments used by the task force for culling the bird flu infected ducks is one that had crossed the expiry date three years ago. The kit of five accessories are handed over to the Rapid Response team members after tearing off the portion which marked the expiry date as 2011.
...
The cover specially instructs that the equipment once used should be instantly burned up. The protective gear manufactured in February 2008 bears the expiry date of January 2011. Five thousand kits were brought to Alapuzha from Delhi.
...

http://www.bignewslive.in/bird-flu-rapid-response-team-use-outdated-protective-gears-for-culling/#.VHzTpDHF_mc

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: India: H5N1 avian influenza reported in poultry in Kottayam and Alappuzha, Kerala; vet, 2 others feverish

December 3, 2014

Mass death of ducks in Kottayam

Nearly 500 ducks died in places near Kottayam municipal area

Reports of fresh incidence of mass death of ducks are being reported from parts of the district bordering Kuttanad, even as the culling operations in the sites of earlier outbreaks came to a close on Tuesday.

According to farmers, nearly 500 ducks have died in Vilakkumadom area near Pallom bordering Kottayam municipal area on Tuesday. Deaths have been reported from Vazhappally area near Changanassery also. There has been no confirmation that the deaths were due to avian flu.

Meanwhile, District Animal Husbandry officer Saseendran Nair said they have already visited the area and samples have been sent to Avian Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at Thiruvalla. Results are expected within two days, he said.

The Hindu

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: India: H5N1 avian influenza reported in poultry in Kottayam and Alappuzha, Kerala; vet, 2 others feverish

KERALA
ALAPPUZHA, December 3, 2014
Avian flu: Kudumbasree workers to be roped in for containment
...

Farmers with dead ducks at Vilakkumadom, near Pallom, where nearly 500 ducks died on Tuesday.? Photo: By Special arrangement (the Hindu)

Meanwhile, the culling of ducks at Karuvatta, which is nearly 10 km away from Haripad, has raised protests from duck farmers in the region. Of the samples collected from six places in Upper Kuttanad, only those from Chennithala Thripperumthura grama panchayat tested positive for avian influenza.

However, the rapid task force teams have commenced the culling operations at Karuvatta, much to the annoyance of the local farming community. Official sources claim that the efforts were being undertaken owing to the proximity of the area with the affected area of Chennithala. On the other hand, farmers argue that the efforts did not comply with the original plan of restricting culling to within 1 km of the affected point.

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/avian-flu-kudumbasree-workers-to-be-roped-in-for-containment/article6657263.ece

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: India: H5N1 avian influenza reported in poultry in Kottayam and Alappuzha, Kerala; vet, 2 others feverish

Confirmation of Avian Influenza in Chennithala Panchayat of district Alappuzha in Kerala

http://dahd.nic.in/dahd/WriteReadData/Confirmation%20of%20Avian%20Influenza%20in%20Chennithala%20Panchayat%20of%20district%20Alappuzha%20in%20Kerala.pdf

OIE Report;
03/12/2014: Highly pathogenic avian influenza, India, (Follow-up report No. 2)

http://www.oie.int/wahis_2/public/wahid.php/Reviewreport/Review?page_refer=MapFullEventReport&reportid=16671

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: India: H5N1 avian influenza reported in poultry in Kottayam and Alappuzha, Kerala

Confirmation of Avian Influenza in Vilakkumaram of district Kottayam in Kerala

http://dahd.nic.in/dahd/WriteReadData/Confirmation%20of%20Avian%20Influenza%20in%20Vilakkumaram%20of%20district%20Kottayam%20in%20Kerala.pdf

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: India: H5N1 avian influenza reported in poultry in Kottayam and Alappuzha, Kerala

OIE Notification of Vilakkumaram outbreak.
04/12/2014: Highly pathogenic avian influenza, India, (Follow-up report No. 3)

http://www.oie.int/wahis_2/public/wahid.php/Reviewreport/Review?page_refer=MapFullEventReport&reportid=16680

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: India: H5N1 avian influenza reported in poultry in Kottayam and Alappuzha, Kerala

Bird flu: 5 of 7 human swabs test negative

| Dec 8, 2014

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Five of the seven human swab samples sent to the national centre for disease control (NCDC) in New Delhi have tested negative for the bird flu virus. The results of the remaining two samples are expected to be known in two days.

As per a review conducted by the health department, no human transmission of the virus has been reported from any of the affected areas so far and the spread of bird flu is totally under control.

"As per protocol, the surveillance on people has to be continued till 14 days from the day the flu is reported from an area. The surveillance period is coming to an end in many places," said state nodal officer Dr Amar Fettle.

However, the health department is continuing with the house to house monitoring of people. "The health teams have till date visited 2,52,928 houses in three bird flu hit districts. Of the 9.26,147 people screened, 2,791 were detected with mild fever. However, no one has developed any symptoms of bird flu," said additional director of health service Dr A S Pradeep Kumar.

The swab samples of the five persons who showed symptoms of fever were sent for testing at the NCDC. The other two were those who were involved in culling and had close exposure with the ducks.

"Some members of the animal husbandry department who were involved in the culling process have also developed fever symptoms. They are under surveillance and have been housed at the camps set up in the flu-hit regions," said Fettle.

Times of India

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: India: H5N1 avian influenza reported in poultry in Kottayam and Alappuzha, Kerala

Culling Over, But Sick Ducks Still Alive
By Express News Service Published: 09th December 2014 06:06 AM Last Updated: 09th December 2014 09:01 AM

KOTTAYAM: Even as the district administration claimed that the Rapid Response Team (RRT) personnel could contain the avian influenza threat in the district by completing the culling of virus infected birds and successfully carrying out preventive measures, ?Express? has found that ducks are still alive within the limits of disease detected areas.

Moreover, people living at a stone?s throw away from the virus-infected Kottayam municipality, said that no one from any of the government agencies, including the Health Department has so far visited their area.

According to the District Animal Husbandry department, all birds in the one kilometre distance from the epicentre of the affected area, have been culled to prevent the spread of the disease.

However, ?Express? spotted many ducks along Kodoor river and at Vilakkumaram backwaters, with symptoms of avian influenza, nearly 100 metres away from Pallom lighthouse, where the culling was conducted a couple of days ago. Local people said there are no takers for these ducks following the outbreak of the disease.
...

http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/Culling-Over-But-Sick-Ducks-Still-Alive/2014/12/09/article2562412.ece

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: India: H5N1 avian influenza reported in poultry in Kottayam and Alappuzha, Kerala

Bird flu: H5N1 virus contained in Kerala, ban lifted on poultry movement

Wednesday, 17 December 2014 - 5:35pm IST | Place: Thiruvananthapuram | Agency: PTI

Kerala government today lifted all restrictions imposed on the movement of poultry in the wake of bird flu outbreak reported in parts of Alappuzha, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts following the successful containment of H5NI virus in the affected areas.

"Avian flu has been completely brought under control and the affected areas are totally virus free. So restrictions imposed on the transportation and consumption of poultry, including ducks, have been lifted," State Animal Husbandry Minister K P Mohanan told reporters here.
...

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-bird-flu-h5n1-virus-contained-in-kerala-ban-lifted-on-poultry-movement-2044769

[Gert van der Hoek]

January 28, 2015

8,000 turkeys culled at Kollam farm

Following death of 450 turkeys from bird flu last week

With the Indian Council of Agricultural Research?s Bhopal-based High Security Animal Diseases Laboratory confirming that avian flu of the H5N1 strain caused the deaths of over 450 turkeys housed in a cage at the Government Turkey Farm here last week, more than 8,000 turkeys that remained at the farm were culled on Monday as a preventive measure.

Since the culled birds were buried inside the farm complex, the farm will have to be kept closed for at least four months after being fumigated. Farm authorities said the fumigation was being carried out using a sodium hypochlorite solution. The complex was also being sprayed with lime-based disinfectants.

The farm has been hit by bird flu at a time when it had stocked the highest number of turkeys since its inception. It also had the reputation of being the biggest turkey farm in south Asia.

Rs.20-lakh loss

The farm will remain banned for visitors for four months. The loss to the farm as per preliminary estimates is Rs.20 lakh.
On Tuesday, poultry numbering over 700 in individual houses in an area of 1 sq km around the farm was also culled. The poultry comprised chicken, ducks, and turkey. There was resistance from the owners when Animal Husbandry Department personnel, along with officials of the Health Department, arrived at the houses with police protection to carry out the culling.

[Ronan Kelly]

KOCHI, January 30, 2015
Updated: January 30, 2015 08:31 IST
Migratory birds come under surveillance

K.S. SUDHI

Fears of recurrence of avian influenza epidemic have pushed the Forest Department to keep a tab on migratory birds that winter in Kerala.

Though the epidemic, first reported among domestic poultry in Alappuzha and Kottayam districts, had been contained, it was again reported at the government-run turkey farm in Kollam last week. Experts confirmed that the birds had died of H5N1 at the Kollam farm.

While fresh outbreak of the disease led to the death of 1,781 turkey birds at the farm, authorities culled 6,475 birds in an attempt to curb the spread of the disease among the local bird population. Around 2,000 other birds were culled outside the farm.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/migratory-birds-come-under-surveillance/article6837188.ece