India: Assam, AVIAN INFLUENZA A/H5N1 IN POULTRY (December 2008+)

[Treyfish]

Re: India: Assam, AVIAN INFLUENZA A/H5N1 IN POULTRY (December 2008+)

Speed up culling, Centre asks Assam


Special Correspondent







GUWAHATI: The Centre has asked the Assam government to speed up the ongoing culling operations in the State and strictly cordon off the affected areas to prevent spread of the bird flu outbreak.
The State government on Saturday increased the compensation to poultry owners affected by the surveillance restrictions.
N. Gokul Ram, Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, told reporters here that during a meeting with Chief Secretary P.C. Sarma and other officials held here on Friday, he had requested the government to speed up the culling operations, do it in a comprehensive manner and complete it at the earliest.
Out of 9 locations in six districts notified by the Ministry as bird flu affected areas, culling operations had been completed in five. Mr. Ram said culling operations were expected to be over by December 16 in the four other locations. Large scale mortality of birds had also been reported in Lakhmipur and Sivasagar districts. Samples from these two districts had been sent for laboratory tests and reports were awaited.
Till Friday, an estimated 3.18 lakh birds had been culled, 1.8 lakh kg eggs and 11,000 kg feed stock were destroyed in the five locations. An estimated 1.5 lakh birds more would be culled in the remaining four locations.
Assam Health Minister and State government spokesman Himanta Biswa Sarma said the government would bear the additional cost burden due to revision of the compensation amount. The enhanced rates would be Rs. 90 for each layer bird, Rs. 80 for each broiler bird and Rs. 125 for each duck. The old rates were Rs. 40 for broiler bird, Rs. 50 for layer bird and Rs. 75 for duck. The Central and the State governments shared the compensation equally.
In addition to compensation for culled birds, the government announced a one time maintenance cost of Rs. 10 each bird to those poultry owners affected by the ban on movement of poultry and products and closure of poultry and eggs markets within 10 km radius of infected sites.
Commissioner, Animal Husbandry, Assam government, Shyamlal Mewra said that so far Rs. 95 lakh had been paid as compensation to the owners of culled poultry. He said losses would run into several crores but the actual figure would be known only after the culling operations were completed. :tiphat:http://www.hindu.com/2008/12/14/stories/2008121454621000.htm

 

[sharon sanders]

Re: India: Assam, AVIAN INFLUENZA A/H5N1 IN POULTRY (December 2008+)

I have copied and moved some posts from this thread to the Respiratory Infections in Humans thread here:

http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=88369

 

[Treyfish]

Re: India: Assam, AVIAN INFLUENZA A/H5N1 IN POULTRY (December 2008+)

Bird flu in Assam out, all the birds will die from the valley

Guwahati.'s Bird flu situation in Assam is almost out. The state government Center, financial, technical and other assistance is sought. So, the disease is spreading rapidly Control can be found. The whole of the Brahmaputra valley in the grip of the arrival of bird flu. After Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi at his residence last night's emergency meeting of senior officials Convened.
That the decision to deal with the crisis in the entire Brahmaputra Valley birds Be killed. Because, at 20 degrees Celsius carrier of bird flu H 5 N 1 virus rapidly spreads.
Two and a half million chickens have been killed

The Chief Minister said bird flu is a serious form. From our Efforts are complete. However, the rapid spread of the disease is under control on her Will be difficult to achieve.

.​

Union Agriculture Secretary J.. Gopalkumarn killing of chickens Assam to assess the campaign have been reached. More than two and a half million chickens being killed already Are done. But, it was decided that a crisis meeting to deal with the Brahmaputra In the Valley birds should be killed.

.​

Present at the meeting of the State Health Minister Dr. Hemant Sharma said the world this month are rapidly reduce temperature due to the bird flu on conrol has become very important.
Between people in the states of North East The possibility of infection of the disease also can not be denied. For this, The virus through migratory birds come. The region is their haunt.
Dr. Sharma Admitted that to avoid spreading the disease to the government's already effective Weapons are not. Now people have been warned of the infection.

He said if this So people in the crisis spreads to deal with the infrastructure we have available Is not. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
:tiphat:
http://translate.google.com/transla...%A4%85%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%AE&sl=en&tl=hi&start=10

 

[Treyfish]

Re: India: Assam, AVIAN INFLUENZA A/H5N1 IN POULTRY (December 2008+)

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Bird flu-affected states in the red alert, the situation in control​

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New Delhi. Assam and Manipur in the areas affected by bird flu epidemic in Bhte in keeping with the red alert was declared and all the necessary medicines in sufficient quantities and the medical team of officials to the affected areas has been sent. The situation fully under control.

​

Central Health Services Director General Dr RK Srivastava said in an interview in Assam and Manipur bird flu epidemic Bhte taking seriously the government in the affected areas in both states have declared a red alert and concerned officials from the State Government's equal Contact is made.
He stated that the situation fully under control.
Both states of the affected areas for all the necessary medicines in sufficient quantities and the medical team of officials has been sent. Both states in areas affected by bird flu from eggs, livestock fodder and other poultry products, including Chicen send out the ban has been issued and its related orders have been given.

​

Dr Srivastava said that the beginning of this month, the Assam government in the state's bird flu outbreak in some areas after getting information from the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, a team immediately left for the affected areas had been. He said that the deadly Avian influenza virus first state in Hajo of Kamrup district, were found.
According to Health Ministry sources from bird flu-affected areas in Assam kill Kukkton to destroy eggs and work is continuing.

​

Until yesterday killed millions of Kukkton was gone and so destroy the eggs have been. With that in the affected areas ... the purchase of poultry products on sale has been banned.

​

According to information received from the Assam government yesterday to the state's bird flu Dibrugarh, Goalpara districts, including Bongigana and spread to many areas.

​

Guwahati Kamrup and (urban) district and its surrounding areas Kukkton ... on the sale and purchase of eggs also been banned.
The government of trying to ascertain whether it is bird flu-affected migratory birds and not because of the movement is spreading. In Manipur, in the year Mapall to deal with this disease, rapid Arespon team was set up.

​

Meghalaya state government here has also neighbors of the spread of bird flu in Assam after the incident on December 9, Assam, West Bengal and in the international sector Simaatn ban on the import of poultry products given the order.

​

The order in the state as a circumspection has been issued.
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Last Updated[ 12/12/2008 2:57:52 PM ]​

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[Treyfish]

Re: India: Assam, AVIAN INFLUENZA A/H5N1 IN POULTRY (December 2008+)

Change in menu affects zoo inmates
Guwahati: For the last two days, Caesar, a leopard at the Assam state zoo here, has not had a morsel of food, and its keepers are at their wits' end.
From raw mutton to cooked minced lamb legs, zookeepers tried in vain to make Caesar eat. But they have failed.
Ever since a ban on poultry and poultry products was enforced due to an outbreak of bird flu in Assam, authorities were forced to change the menu for the zoo inmates -- from chicken to mutton.
"The cats at the zoo were earlier given chicken, but all of a sudden when we started serving them mutton they are refusing to eat," zoo warden Narayan Mahanta said.
There are about 30 cats in the zoo, from leopards to clouded leopards and jungle cats.
"We even tried serving them boiled minced mutton but still their acceptance level is less than 30 percent. This is a matter of concern for us," the warden said.
Most zoo cats are now getting restless. "They are pacing around the cages and most of the time roaring angrily. They are hungry," a keeper said.
Even the bears seem to be annoyed.
"The bears love to eat eggs, but with the ban on poultry products we are unable to give them eggs. At times the bears are also getting angry," said Mahanta.
Zoo officials are now thinking of alternatives.
"We are hoping for the best and presume the cats would develop a liking for mutton soon," one official said.
Assam is in the grip of a bird flu epidemic with at least eight of the 17 districts hit by the deadly avian influenza.
An estimated 300,000 poultry, including chicken and ducks, have been culled since the outbreak was reported two weeks ago. More than 200,000 poultry were ordered to be killed.
The Assam government banned the sale and consumption of poultry and poultry products in most parts of the state fearing bird flu might spread to humans.
"We are carrying out daily health checks on the animals in view of the bird flu," Mahanta said. (IANS)

Assam Govt hikes assistance to affected poultry farmers​

Guwahati: Assam Government on Saturday decided to enhance the compensation to poultry farmers whose birds were being culled and planned to set up a sample centre in the State in the wake of bird flu outbreak in nine districts of the State.
Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters here that the compensation has been raised to Rs 80 for broiler chicken, Rs 90 for local chicken and Rs 125 for ducks and the additional burden would be borne by the State Government.
The State Government has so far made a payment of Rs one crore as compensation with more than 3.70 lakh birds culled and by December 16 more than five lakh birds would be slaughtered, Sarma said.
All birds in the area from the epicentre of the disease to a three km radius have to be culled while those beyond three km to 10 kms is under surveillance and its rearers would be provided with Rs 10 per bird daily for its feed.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, at a high-level meeting held on Friday night decided to set up a state-of-the-art sample centre in the State on the lines of Bhopal-based Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory as much time was lost in getting the samples tested outside the State, the minister said.
The State Government would also provide interest subsidy to those poultry farmers who have taken loan for their business and there was also a plan to rehabilitate them economically under the Assam Vikash Yojana, he added.

Nagaland bans import of poultry​

Meanwhile, the Nagaland Government on Saturday has banned the import of poultry into the State.
Nagaland Chief Secretary Lalhuma has issued an order directing all government departments and people in general, to stop import of all types of birds and its products into the State. (Agencies)

Bird flu comes from Bangladesh: Ram​

Guwahati: India believe that the dread avian flu virus, which has created havoc in the Brahmaputra valley of Assam, has come from the infected farm feeds of Bangladesh.
This was informed on Saturday by Union Secretary for Veterinary Mr Gokul Ram, who said that bird flu would be contained by December 16. ''Our rapid action force has been working day and night and in another four days we will bring the situation under control,'' he said while speaking to the newsmen on Saturday morning.
A high level team of the Union Government led by Mr Gokul Ram air dashed to Guwahati on Friday as the Assam Government was faltering in taking control of the situation.
''Now the bird flu has spread to seven districts of Assam and so far Rs 95 lakh have been released for compensation. I am also meeting the Chief Secretary PC Sharma to fix the loose end of the operation'' said the Secretary.:tiphat:http://www.theshillongtimes.com/

 

[Treyfish]

Re: India: Assam, AVIAN INFLUENZA A/H5N1 IN POULTRY (December 2008+)

<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=1 width="68%"><TBODY><TR><TD>[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Sale, entry of poultry products banned
From our Correspondent
JOYSAGAR, Dec 12: Sivasagar district administration has promulgated Section 144 CrPC in the district banning sale and entry of poultry products in the district. The step was taken following reports of the death of 70 chicks at a poultry farm at Akhoiphutia, about 5 kms from Sivasagar.
Veterinary officials said that blood samples of the dead chicks have been sent to Pune for conducting laboratory test. The exact cause of the death of the chicks will be known only after the tests, veterinary officials said.
Meanwhile, the district Veterinary Department has opened a 24-hour control room in Sivasagar to provide information regarding bird flue and also to get information from the public about the possible outbreak of bird flu in the district.
District Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Department is maintaining a strict surveillance of poultry farms in the district with veterinarians carrying out checks on the poultry.:tiphat:http://www.sentinelassam.com/sentinel_en/state0.htm#a1[/FONT]
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[Sally Furniss]

Re: India: Assam, AVIAN INFLUENZA A/H5N1 IN POULTRY (December 2008+)

Bird flu out of the situation in Assam

गुवाहाटी (वार्ता) , शनिवार, 13 दिसंबर 2008( 15:58 IST )

Guwahati (talks), Saturday, December 13, 2008 (15:58 IST)

असम में बर्ड फ्लू की स्थिति बेकाबू होने के साथ ही राज्य सरकार ने केंद्र से वित्तीय, तकनीकी और अन्य मदद माँगी है ताकि तेजी से फैल रही इस बीमारी पर नियंत्रण पाया जा सके।

Bird flu situation in Assam out of the state government with the center, financial, technical and other assistance is sought so that the disease is spreading rapidly on the control to be found.

पूरी ब्रह्मपुत्र घाटी के बर्ड फ्लू की चपेट में आने के बाद मुख्यमंत्री तरुण गोगोई ने अपने आवास पर वरिष्ठ अधिकारियों की आपात बैठक बुलाई और हालात का जायजा लिया।

The whole of the Brahmaputra valley in the grip of bird flu after coming Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi at his residence the emergency meeting of senior officials and took stock of the situation.

मुख्यमंत्री ने कहा कि यह काफी गंभीर रूप धारण कर रही है।

The Chief Minister said that this is a serious form.

हम अपनी ओर से पूरा प्रयास कर रहे हैं लेकिन जिस तेजी से यह बीमारी फैल रही है उससे इस पर काबू पाना कठिन हो जाएगा।

We are trying to complete but the rapid spread of this disease is that this will be difficult to control.

केंद्रीय कृषि सचिव जे.

Union Agriculture Secretary J..

गोपालकुमारन मुर्गियों को मारने के अभियान का जायजा लेने असम पहुँच गए हैं।

Gopalkumarn killing of chickens to assess the campaign have reached Assam.

ढाई लाख से अधिक मुर्गियाँ पहले ही मारी जा चुकी हैं।

Poultry already more than two and a half million have been killed.

लेकिन बैठक में फैसला किया गया कि संकट से निपटने के लिए पूरी ब्रह्मपुत्र घाटी में पक्षियों को मार दिया जाए क्योंकि 20 डिग्री सेल्सियस पर बर्ड फ्लू का वाहक एच 5 एन 1 वायरस तेजी से फैलता है।

But in the meeting it was decided to deal with the crisis in the entire Brahmaputra Valley birds should be killed because of bird flu at 20 degrees Celsius carrier H 5 N 1 virus rapidly spreads.

बैठक में मौजूद राज्य के स्वास्थ्य मंत्री डॉ. हेमंत बिश्व शर्मा ने कहा कि इस महीने तेजी से कम हो रहे तापमान के चलते बर्ड फ्लू पर काबू पाना बहुत जरूरी हो गया है।

Present at the meeting of the State Minister of Health Dr. Sharma said that Hemant Bisw sharply lower this month are due to the temperature control on bird flu has become very important.

पूर्वोत्तर के राज्यों में लोगों के बीच इस बीमारी के संक्रमण की संभावना से भी इनकार नहीं किया जा सकता, क्योंकि इसके विषाणु प्रवासी पक्षियों के जरिए आते हैं जिनका यह क्षेत्र बसेरा है।

North-Eastern states of the disease between people with the possibility of infection can not be denied, because the virus through migratory birds come to roost region whose it is.

डॉ. शर्मा ने स्वीकार किया कि इस बीमारी को फैलने से रोकने के लिए सरकार के पास पहले से ही कारगर हथियार नहीं हैं और अब लोगों में संक्रमण की चेतावनी दी गई है।

Dr. Sharma admitted that to avoid spreading the disease to the government for effective weapons already and now people are not warned of the infection is.

उन्होंने कहा कि यदि यह लोगों में फैलता है तो इस संकट से निपटने के लिए हमारे पास आधारभूत सुविधा उपलब्ध नहीं हैं।

He said that if it spreads to people, then the crisis we have to deal with the infrastructure are not available

http://hindi.webdunia.com/news/news/regional/0812/13/1081213069_1.htm

 

[Laidback Al]

Re: India: Assam, AVIAN INFLUENZA A/H5N1 IN POULTRY (December 2008+)

Post # 191

The disease, starting from Hajo revenue circle in Kamrup (rural) district, about 20 km from here, on December 2, had spread to Guwahati in Kamrup (Metro) district, Nalbari, Barpeta, Chirang, Baksa, Bongaigaon and Goalpara districts in Lower Assam spreading to Dibrugarh district in Upper Assam.

Post #223

Two more districts in Assam were suspected to have been affected by bird flu with poultry deaths reported from Sibsagar and North Lakhimpur.

Post #243

The whole of the Brahmaputra [River] valley in the grip of the arrival of bird flu.

The map below presented the infected districts in yellow. The purple box outlines the Brahmaputra River valley through central Assam.

 

[Treyfish]

Re: India: Assam, AVIAN INFLUENZA A/H5N1 IN POULTRY (December 2008+)

A fortnight over, but H5N1 still spreading to fresh areas
By our Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Dec 13: After his two-day-long review of the bird flu situation and preventive measures taken by the Asom Government, Union Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Secretary N Gokul Ram today said culling operations have been completed in five of the nine locations in six districts where occurrence of bird flu has been detected.
Gokul Ram, who wound up his two-day visit to the State today, however, said: ?Bird flu had been detected in Manipur and Tripura earlier, but the two State Governments could make the affected areas free from H5N1 within five days by totally shielding the places of occurrence. In Manipur, it took only three days to eliminate the virus. A fortnight has elapsed, but the virus is still spreading to fresh areas in Asom. I don?t know what?s wrong here. The preventive measures taken by the State Government, however, are satisfactory.?
When asked as to why the virus could not be controlled in Asom, Gokul Ram could not give a satisfactory reply. He, however, said the situation is under control. ?There has been no report of human infection of bird flu from any place in the country. As many as 93 rapid response teams (RRTs) have been engaged in the culling operation in the State.?
Asom Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Commissioner-Secretary SL Mewra, who was also present at the press briefing, said: ?The State Government is going to launch a scheme to rehabilitate the affected poultry farmers so that they can shift to other vocations. An amount of Rs 3 crore has been earmarked for the rehabilitation scheme.?
Meanwhile, a source in the Regional Institute of Animal Diseases, Khanapara, said about 1.11 lakh people had died of Spanish flu, a virus being carried by birds, in Asom in 1918. The source said pigs act as mixing vessels for bird flu creating health hazards in the State.:tiphat:http://www.sentinelassam.com/index.htm

 

[HenryN]

Re: India: Assam, AVIAN INFLUENZA A/H5N1 IN POULTRY (December 2008+)

Indian state to kill 200,000 fowl in bird flu cull

Sun Dec 14, 2008 6:05pm IST


<SCRIPT>var csvSymbolIds = "";var quoteLink = "";</SCRIPT>By Biswajyoti Das
GUWAHATI, India (Reuters) - Indian authorities will slaughter 200,000 chickens in the northeast state of Assam in the next two days in a culling operation to tackle the threat of bird flu, officials said.
Health workers and bird flu experts were monitoring about 100 people who had shown signs of the virus.
The patients in six districts of Guwahati, oil- and tea-producing Assam's main city, were suffering from fever and respiratory infections, symptoms of the H5N1 bird flu virus in humans. But officials have not confirmed any human cases of H5N1.
Health workers had gone house to house in Guwahati looking for more people with symptoms, officials said.
Veterinary officials have already killed almost 350,000 chickens and ducks, destroyed more than 160,000 eggs and thousands of kilograms of poultry feed in Guwahati since last month.
Culling is being expanded to include two villages in Meghalaya state close to Guwahati. The virus was detected in poultry in a village close to Guwahati last month.
Authorities have set a target of about 200,000 fowl to be killed in the region over the next two days.
"Though no cases of bird flu have been reported in Meghalaya, we are going ahead with culling as a preventative measure," S.F. Khongwir, a senior official in Meghalaya, said.
Officials said some people had been defying orders to hand over their chickens and poultry products to culling teams and were hiding their birds and eggs.
A veterinary surgeon was arrested late on Saturday after police and veterinary officials raided his house and seized more than 2,500 chickens he had hidden there.
India's health ministry has rushed three more ventilators to the area, taking the number to five, as well as other preventative measures in case the virus spreads to humans, including thousands of Tamiflu capsules and surgical masks.
While no human cases have been reported in India, experts fear the H5N1 virus might mutate or combine with the highly contagious seasonal influenza virus and spark a pandemic that could kill millions of people.
Since the virus resurfaced in Asia in 2003, it has killed more than 200 people in a dozen countries, the World Health Organization says.
The WHO described an outbreak of bird flu in neighboring West Bengal state last January, when more than 4 million birds were culled, as the worst ever in India.
(Editing by Angus MacSwan)



http://in.reuters.com/article/health/idINTRE4BD0X120081214?sp=true

 

[hawkeye]

Re: India: Assam, AVIAN INFLUENZA A/H5N1 IN POULTRY (December 2008+)

Wow.
Probably safe to assume the areas in-between are infected as well. The Brahmaputra River is a major artery for many of those smaller systems.

Post # 191
Post #223
Post #243
The map below presented the infected districts in yellow. The purple box outlines the Brahmaputra River valley through central Assam.

 

[Shiloh]

Re: India: Assam, AVIAN INFLUENZA A/H5N1 IN POULTRY (December 2008+)

SOurce: http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal...efs-hampering-culling-in-assam_100130916.html

Religious beliefs hampering culling in Assam
December 14th, 2008 - 7:49 pm ICT by IANS -

Guwahati, Dec 14 (IANS) Religious and superstitious beliefs are coming in the way of culling of poultry in Assam where bird flu has spread to new areas posing serious health risks to humans, officials Sunday said. ?We are in a very delicate sort of a situation, although there are no reports of humans contracting bird flu so far,? V.P Rana, a central health ministry official, told IANS.

Four people, including two veterinary officials involved in the culling operations, were put under surveillance and blood samples collected after they complained of fever and cold in western Chirang district of Assam.

?We have sent blood samples of four people to a laboratory in New Delhi to ascertain if they had contracted the bird flu virus. There were some 150 more people who had earlier complained of fever and cold, although we had ruled out the virus infecting these people,? Parthajyoti Gogoi, another central health ministry official, said.

Meanwhile, authorities were continuing slaughtering poultry in eight Assam districts with an estimated 350,000 birds culled so far.

?About 150,000 more birds are being culled and we hope to complete the culling drive by Tuesday,? Assam veterinary director A. Kataki said. An Assam government spokesman said there were reports of bird flu spreading to new villages in eastern and western Assam.

?We are being able to gradually control bird flu from spreading further although the danger is far from over,? Kataki said.

Tribal villagers in western Chirang district resisted authorities culling poultry and instead carried our chicken sacrifices as part of a local religious festival.

?We did not allow the authorities to cull our chickens as we need them for sacrificing as part of the festival. God is there to help us and nobody in our village would fall sick,? Monolal Basumatary, a community elder, said justifying their refusal to cooperate with the culling process.

Local authorities were in a fix.

?We cannot use force to kill the birds as that might hurt religious sentiments. We have been trying our best to convince the populace that culling is the only way to prevent bird flu from spreading further and also the risk of humans contracting the virus,? P.P. Baruah, Chirang district magistrate, said.

A 15-member team of central health ministry experts is carrying out door-to-door health check ups, while a central animal husbandry team too is supervising the culling operations which have also begun in adjoining Meghalaya state with an estimated 3,000 birds slaughtered.

?We have begun culling as a precautionary measure as some of the villages in our state adjoin Assam where bird flu has struck. We have sent samples for laboratory tests and are awaiting the results,? Meghalaya veterinary director D. Khonglah said.

 

[HenryN]

Re: India: Assam, AVIAN INFLUENZA A/H5N1 IN POULTRY (December 2008+)

No outbreak of avian flu at Biswanath village
[SIZE=-1]Correspondent
BISWANATH CHARIALI, Dec 14 ? The Veterinary department of Biswanath Chariali has denied reports any outbreak of the deadly H5N1 bird flu at Borigaon village under Biswanath revenue circle which was confirmed in the preliminary investigation undertaken by the veterinarians at the affected village. The preliminary investigation revealed the disease as Ranikhet, which is common during this part of the year. This was stated by Dr Narayan Chandra Sarma, sub-divisional veterinary officer, while addressing an emergent meeting convened to discuss the matter where poultry farmers, officials and mediapersons was present which was held at the SDVO office premises on December 10.

The SDVO stated about various precautionary measures initiated by the administration and veterinary office to control any outbreak of bird-flu in the sub division. He stated that such false news creates panicky and confusion among the general population.

It may be mentioned that the Sonitpur district administration has meanwhile promulgated 144 Cr-Pc restricting import, export, sale and consumption of any infected poultry and poultry products within the district with immediate effect with the aim to protect the population from the disease.

The meeting further decided to organise awareness meeting at all the gaon panchayat areas and publish leaflets containing the symptoms of bird flu and precautionary measures as a part of the awareness campaign.

Meanwhile the SDVO office has opened a control room with the following telephone Nos 94350-85303 (Dr NC Sarmah), 94358-82636 (Dr Bhupen Hazarika), and 9435182805 (Dr Diganta Sarma). The control room would remain open from 8 AM to 6 pm.

It is worthmentioning that the symptoms of bird flu is respiratory signs sinusitis, Oedema of the faces and head, combs and wattles, petechial haemorrhages on internal membrane surfaces, diarrhoea, diffuse hemorrhage between hocks and feet, in coordination with nervous system signs as paralysis.

The meeting was addressed by Pranjit Hazarika, SDIPRO, Dr Bhupen Hazarika, VAS, Dr Diganta Sarma, VAS, Niranjan Hazarika, journalist, D Hazarika, BCTC member and representatives of poultry farms.
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[HenryN]

Re: India: Assam, AVIAN INFLUENZA A/H5N1 IN POULTRY (December 2008+)

Bird flu spreads to Goalpara
[SIZE=-1]A correspondent
LAKHIPUR, Dec 14 ? The bird flu has also spread to Goalpara district. The Goalpara district administration has prohibited the sale, purchase and transportation of poultry and all types of poultry products, including meat, eggs, either in cooked or raw form, within the district area from December 11 last. The Lakhipur Circle Officer issued the order on December 12.

Meanwhile, Veterinary department of the district has sent samples from several places to the Bhopal and Pune laboratories. Simultaneous cleaning and disinfection under Lakhipur revenue circle are also going on.
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[Sally Furniss]

Re: India: Assam, AVIAN INFLUENZA A/H5N1 IN POULTRY (December 2008+)

Ajmer warning from Assam
Bhaskar News
Sunday, December 14, 2008 14:40 [IST]

Ajmer. Guwahati in Assam, including the nine districts in view of the Bird Flu Outbreak of Ajmer district in the Animal Husbandry Department has taken precautionary steps. Poaltriforarmo for investigation of the district, 30 Arepid Response teams have been deployed. They beat teams of birds and the saliva sample to Juti are.

According to Dr SS Chandawat deputy director of animal husbandry in Jilabhar is being monitored. The birds brought from outside the system also will be examined. Poltriafaarm more than 350 are in the district. These include more than 22 million birds. From there, eggs and chicken stock, etc., Agra, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab is sent.

So far, no complaints

Response Team in each Arepid a veterinary doctor and four Aparaoetso are included. These teams Afayasagar, Parbthapura bypass, Maackadwalie, Jaipur Road, Byavar Road, and surrounding areas are in examine Poaltriforarmo on. In the district so far has not come before any infectious disease.

Fears of migratory birds

On the district's various water sources in winter migratory birds come. Some of these species is the fear of the spread of bird flu. To prevent this, the Forest Department needs to be a help.

Old sample sent to Jaipur

During regular inspecting various former Poaltrifartarmo collected from 499 sample to examine the state's disease diagnostic center at Jaipur have been sent.

No impact on the market

Egg Cordineshna National Committee (neck), Vice-President Syed Faker - e - Moina According to the district of Assam do not have any effect on the poultry business. There is no fear of infection. The rate of eggs than in the past two days on Saturday, 6 rupees per Saiakra 223 rupees with the advantage of being normal. Two days ago the rate was 217 rupees per Saiakra.

http://www.bhaskar.com/2008/12/14/0812141452_birdflu.html

 

[HenryN]

Re: India: Assam, AVIAN INFLUENZA A/H5N1 IN POULTRY (December 2008+)

Editorial: Fifth time in three years
Business Standard / New Delhi December 15, 2008, 0:52 IST


The fresh outbreak of the dreaded bird flu disease amongst poultry in Assam, barely three weeks after the government declared India as an avian influenza-free country, exposes the chinks in the strategy for nationwide bio-security. The spread of this deadly virus to areas outside the Kampur (rural) district, where it was first detected, even after the commencement of culling operations and the proclamation of a general alert in Assam and its neighbouring north-eastern states, makes the laxity on this front all the more evident. It is of course true that the virulent H5N1 strain of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus continues to persist in several countries across the eastern border, and because of this the occasional incidence of this disease in India can neither be ruled out nor, perhaps, be effectively prevented. But having conceded this, it is worth noting that the fresh outbreak has occurred at a time when migratory birds fly into India and mingle with backyard poultry birds and ducks around the water bodies that abound in the eastern states. If the surveillance arrangements that are claimed to have been put in place in the vulnerable spots break down at such a critical time, there surely is something amiss.

This is the fifth outbreak of bird flu in less than three years, since the first episode in Maharashtra?s Navapur area in February 2006. These epidemics have caused the poultry sector a colossal loss of Rs 10,000 crore by way of loss of production, stoppage of exports and destruction of poultry birds, feed and other material. Equally badly hit are the large number of rural households which keep poultry birds to supplement their income and nutrition. Worse still, the danger of a pandemic caused by mutation of the H5N1 virus into a form communicable from one human to another continues to lurk like the sword of Damocles.
It is a pity that the government continues to disregard advice from poultry experts, to immunise/vaccinate birds in vulnerable spots along the routes taken by migratory birds, and to compartmentalise the country into different zones. It should be obvious that such measures will minimise the chances of a fresh outbreak of the disease, and allow poultry operations, including exports, to continue unabated in the disease-free zones. The vaccination needs to be repeated periodically, and would work because local poultry owners, who tend to hide their birds during culling operations, would readily come forward to get them vaccinated. As for disease-related zoning, it would help poultry concentrations to remain undisturbed in the southern states, where the risk of bird flu is extremely low as they are far away from the foci of infection in the neighbouring countries to the east. It is also vital that neighbouring countries, notably Bangladesh, which have a poor record of bird flu management, be approached with an offer of joint strategies for combating this menace in the border belt. Such moves will probably pay better dividends than the present approach which relies largely ? even if quite successfully ? on post-outbreak control.

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/editorial-fifth-time-in-three-years/00/01/343221/

 

[Giuseppe]

Re: India: Assam, AVIAN INFLUENZA A/H5N1 IN POULTRY (December 2008+)

An extended version of post no. 249:

India, Assam: Bird Flu relents despite culling operations

Bird Flu relents despite culling operations

Newmai News Network December 15, 2008 01:16:00

Guwahati :

After his two-day long review of bird flu situation and also the preventive measures taken by the government of Assam, Union Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Secretary N Gokul Ram said that culling operations have been completed in five of the nine locations in six districts of the state where the bird flu have been detected.


Gokul Ram, who wound up his two-day visit to the state on Saturday, however, said, "Bird flu had been detected in Manipur and Tripura sometimes back, but the two state governments could make the affected areas free from H5N1 within five days by totally shielding the affected areas. In Manipur it took only three days to eliminate the virus. A fortnight has already been over, but the virus is still spreading to fresh areas in Assam. I don’t know what’s wrong here. The preventive measures taken by the state government, however, are satisfactory."

When asked as to why the virus could not be controlled in Assam, Gokul Ram could not give a satisfactory reply. He, however, said the situation is under control.

"There has been no report of human infection of bird flu from any place in the country. As many as 93 rapid response teams (RRTs) have been engaged in the culling operation in the state at present," disclosed the officer.

Assam Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Commissioner-Secretary SL Mewra, who was also present at the press briefing, said, "The state government going is going to launch a scheme to rehabilitate the affected poultry farmers so that they can shift to other vocations. An amount of Rs 3 crore has been earmarked for the rehabilitation scheme."

Meanwhile, a source in the Regional Institute of Animal Diseases, Khanapara, said about 1.11 lakh people had died of Spanish flu, a virus being carried by birds, in Assam in the year 1918. The source said pigs act as mixing vessels for bird flu creating health hazards in the state.

With regard to the present situation in Assam, the development is alarming as the H5N1 virus is spreading fast to fresh areas in Assam, including Guwahati. The state government has come with a slew of sops in the form of enhanced compensation, bank loan interest subsidy and bird fodder for the affected poultry farmers and commoners who do not rear chickens and ducks for large-scale commercial purpose. The government has set the target of culling 5.31 lakh poultry birds in the phase 1 up to December 16. Till now, 3.18 lakh birds have already been culled and 1.6 lakh eggs destroyed in the State.

Talking to newsmen here on Saturday, Assam Health and Family Welfare Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma saidm, "In Guwahati, occurrence of H5N1 virus has been detected at Kharguli, besides Khanapara. This apart, test reports of Sivasagar, Lakhimpur and Baksa districts are awaited. Preventive measures have been taken there."

So far there is risk of H5N1 virus spreading from birds to humans, but if the spread of the virus is not checked now, the day is not far when the virus will spread from man to man, Sarma cautions quoting experts. "Culling immediately after detection of H5N1 virus is the only way left for us in the present situation in the State," he said.
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​

<cite cite="http://www.morungexpress.com/regional/bird_flu_relents_despite_culling_operations.html">Latest current breaking Nagaland news from Morung Express - Bird Flu relents despite culling operations</cite>

 

[Shiloh]

Re: India: Assam, AVIAN INFLUENZA A/H5N1 IN POULTRY (December 2008+)

Source: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1081215/jsp/northeast/story_10253539.jsp

Culling runs into protest wall
A STAFF REPORTER

Guwahati, Dec. 14: Culling operations ran into a wall of protests in Chirang with villagers challenging the government action and daring officials to kill the ?Mumbai virus? first before gunning for their birds and poultry.

Chirang deputy commissioner P.P. Barooah confirmed that there has been stiff opposition from the affected areas, dominated by Bodo tribals, who are not convinced about the outbreak of the flu.

Of the targeted 21,000, only 1,300 birds were culled till today.

?When we tried to convince them (the villagers) during a public interaction at Dangtol this morning, they came up with counter-arguments. ?Kill the Mumbai virus first ? the virus of terrorism is a bigger problem than the bird flu virus,? they said. ?Nothing has ever happened to us even when we eat flesh of dead birds, so why kill the living birds now?? one added. They even cited religious beliefs to avoid culling. It was an unnerving experience,? Barooah said.

The district administration has now sought help from leading citizens and politicians to convince the villagers to co-operate with culling teams.

The combative mood of the villagers forced security personnel to accompany the culling teams to the operation sites eight villages, of which two are in neighbouring Bongaigaon.

Veterinary department personnel today indicated that it would be difficult to meet the December 16 deadline set by the Centre yesterday to reach the culling target, though their director, A.K. Kakati, continued to be hopeful.

?Altogether 104 rapid response teams are working in nine blocks spread over six districts to meet the target of the over 6 lakh birds. We have crossed the 3.5-lakh mark so far. No fresh cases has been reported,? Kakati said.

Field workers do not share his optimism though.

?There is a difference between theory and practical. The field situation is very different. Culling in farms is easier than in backyards. The villagers call us for culling and before we reach the site, they release the birds. We have to run around to catch them and this entails a lot of time and effort,? said a veterinarian.

Dispur continued its crackdown on those violating the ban on sale and movement of poultry products.

So far, 14 people have been arrested in Kamrup metro district, including one for running an illegal hatchery at Kahikuchi under Rani development block.

At Chaparmukh in Nagaon district, 780 crates of eggs imported from Andhra Pradesh were seized this evening.

 

[HenryN]

Re: India: Assam, AVIAN INFLUENZA A/H5N1 IN POULTRY (December 2008+)

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=4 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=articleheader>Culling runs into protest wall
</TD></TR><TR><TD class=articleauthor>A STAFF REPORTER </TD></TR><TR><TD class=story align=left>

Guwahati, Dec. 14: Culling operations ran into a wall of protests in Chirang with villagers challenging the government action and daring officials to kill the ?Mumbai virus? first before gunning for their birds and poultry.
Chirang deputy commissioner P.P. Barooah confirmed that there has been stiff opposition from the affected areas, dominated by Bodo tribals, who are not convinced about the outbreak of the flu.
Of the targeted 21,000, only 1,300 birds were culled till today.
?When we tried to convince them (the villagers) during a public interaction at Dangtol this morning, they came up with counter-arguments. ?Kill the Mumbai virus first ? the virus of terrorism is a bigger problem than the bird flu virus,? they said. ?Nothing has ever happened to us even when we eat flesh of dead birds, so why kill the living birds now?? one added. They even cited religious beliefs to avoid culling. It was an unnerving experience,? Barooah said.
The district administration has now sought help from leading citizens and politicians to convince the villagers to co-operate with culling teams.
The combative mood of the villagers forced security personnel to accompany the culling teams to the operation sites eight villages, of which two are in neighbouring Bongaigaon.
Veterinary department personnel today indicated that it would be difficult to meet the December 16 deadline set by the Centre yesterday to reach the culling target, though their director, A.K. Kakati, continued to be hopeful.
?Altogether 104 rapid response teams are working in nine blocks spread over six districts to meet the target of the over 6 lakh birds. We have crossed the 3.5-lakh mark so far. No fresh cases has been reported,? Kakati said.
Field workers do not share his optimism though.
?There is a difference between theory and practical. The field situation is very different. Culling in farms is easier than in backyards. The villagers call us for culling and before we reach the site, they release the birds. We have to run around to catch them and this entails a lot of time and effort,? said a veterinarian.
Dispur continued its crackdown on those violating the ban on sale and movement of poultry products.
So far, 14 people have been arrested in Kamrup metro district, including one for running an illegal hatchery at Kahikuchi under Rani development block.
At Chaparmukh in Nagaon district, 780 crates of eggs imported from Andhra Pradesh were seized this evening.​

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1081215/jsp/northeast/story_10253539.jsp

 

[HenryN]

Re: India: Assam, AVIAN INFLUENZA A/H5N1 IN POULTRY (December 2008+)

250,000 birds culled after bird flu outbreak in Assam

At least 950 health officials are monitoring the situation in eight of the state?s 23 districts where bird flu has been reported

Jay Shankar





Bangalore: India has culled at least 250,000 birds in Assam to contain an outbreak of bird flu among poultry, a government official said.

At least 950 health officials are monitoring the situation in eight of the state?s 23 districts where bird flu has been reported, D. Hojai, director of health services in the Assam government, said on Sunday over the telephone from the state capital, Guwahati.
Samples from two more districts where poultry died have been sent to a laboratory to confirm if the deaths are due to bird flu, Hojai said.
Culling is being expanded to include two villages in neighbouring Meghalaya. The virus was detected in poultry in a village near Guwahati last month.
?Though no cases of bird flu have been reported in Meghalaya, we are going ahead with culling as a preventative measure,? S.F. Khongwir, a senior official in Meghalaya, said.
Millions of fowls have been killed in the country in the past three years following outbreaks of bird flu. The virus has spread from birds to humans in 15 countries, mostly in Asia, and is not expected to diminish significantly in the short term, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention?s website.
Governments and the World Health Organization (WHO) are piling up medicines in case of an bird flu pandemic in humans. A flu pandemic could kill 71 million people worldwide and lead to a major global recession costing more than $3 trillion (Rs146.1 trillion), according to a worst-case scenario outlined by the World Bank last month.
While no human cases have been reported in India, experts fear the H5N1 virus might mutate or combine with the highly contagious seasonal influenza virus and spark a pandemic that could kill millions of people.
Since the virus resurfaced in Asia in 2003, it has killed more than 200 people in a dozen countries, WHO says.
India, on 24 September, banned imports of some livestock and their products from nations affected by bird flu to prevent a fresh outbreak of the deadly virus.
(Biswajyoti Das of ?Reuters? contributed to this story.)

http://www.livemint.com/2008/12/14231423/250000-birds-culled-after-bir.html