Re: India: Assam, a new confirmed h5n1 poultry epizootic (11/26/2008) [rsoe edis]
Re: India: Assam, a new confirmed h5n1 poultry epizootic (11/26/2008) [rsoe edis]
spreads to new areas
Guwahati | Thursday, Dec 4 2008 IST
The dreaded disease bird flu has spread to new places of Assam as
more deaths of chickens have been reported from Barpeta even as culling operations are on in full swing in Kamrup district.
Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup district R C Jain confirmed that bird flu has spread to Azara area of the district after affecting a large area of Hajo near Guwahati.
The Bhopal-based High Security Animal Diseases Diagnostic Laboratory (HSADL) has already confirmed presence of the virus among the fowl of Sarpara and Patgaon villages of Kamrup district.
This is the second case of outbreak of the dreaded disease caused by the H5N1 virus in the state. The first case was detected in Rajabazar village of Hajo Revenue Circle in the same district on November 27.
Sarpara village is located under the Rampur Development Block of Palasbari Revenue Circle while Patgaon is located under Rani Development Block of Azara Revenue Circle.
Culling operations in the Rani and Rampur development block areas, covering around 22 villages, will start tomorrow and 40 Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) have been formed to conduct the operations in an area of three km radius in each of the blocks for eliminating the entire backyard poultry population.
Rampur Development Block has many commercial poultry firms while in the Rani Block, most of the poultry population is household backyard ones.
Meanwhile, preparations are on to launch the mopping up operations in 20 villages of Hajo revenue circle which have been covered under culling operation for the last few days. According to official sources, mopping up operations are expected to start in the revenue circle tomorrow. Till yesterday evening, around 46,000 backyard birds were killed in the area.
The State Animal Disease Emergency Committee held a meeting here yesterday chaired by Additional Chief Secretary Parul Devi Das. The meeting reviewed the present situation and asked the Deputy Commissioners of both Kamrup and Kamrup (Metro) to impose restrictions on transportation of poultry and poultry products in an area of 13 km radius from the villages which reported occurrence of bird flu.
The DCs of other districts of the state have also been alerted and asked to maintain strict vigil on the situation. The meeting was also attended by Joint Commissioner (LHS) of the Government of India and other senior officials of the concerned State Government Departments.
The sale of poultry has been affected in the entire state but so far ban on the sale has been restricted to Kamrup (rural) district.
With temprature remaining low, the disease is apprehended to spread further unless emergent measures are taken.
-- (UNI) -- 04CA6.xml
http://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/India/20081204/1120056.html