India/Bengal/Tripura Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

Treyfish · Feb 1, 2008

Re: Bengal Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

Re: Bengal Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

26 bird flu suspects isolated
Agencies
Friday, February 01, 2008 23:38 IST

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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>KOLKATA: Twenty-six people have been put in isolation after they fell sick while culling poultry in bird flu-affected West Bengal, officials said on Friday.
Those quarantined have been complaining of fever and respiratory distress over the past few days, but health staff said it was unlikely they had bird flu. India has not reported any human infection of the H5N1 bird flu virus in its four outbreaks of avian influenza since 2006.
The preliminary tests for bird flu are negative, but more tests are being conducted and the list of sick people reviewed every day, RS Shukla, a senior health official, said.
Bird flu has spread to 13 of West Bengal?s 19 districts, spelling trouble for parts of the nation?s poultry business. Egg exports from the world?s second-largest producer have dropped about 50% in the past two weeks, leaving the industry with losses of around $20mn, trade officials said.
Consumption of poultry products has fallen to negligible levels in West Bengal, but chicken sales are recovering in other parts of the nation after an initial wobble when the latest outbreak was announced.
Veterinary staff has culled 2.6mn birds, completing what officials said was a successful operation that brought the bird flu situation under control.
The focus now is on hundreds of medical and veterinary workers and villagers who had come into close contact with dead or sick birds. Officials said health staff returning home after the culling operation had been asked to get themselves checked.
Dozens of isolation wards have been created in hospitals in the affected districts to handle any sudden rush of suspected human cases.
Experts fear the H5N1 strain could mutate into a form easily transmitted from person to person, leading to a pandemic, especially in countries such as India where people live in close proximity to backyard poultry.
?We are aware of the consequences of a possible human infection and we are taking all possible measures,? West Bengal health minister Surjya Kanta Mishra said. :tiphat: http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1148668

caretaker · Feb 1, 2008

Re: Bengal Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

Re: Bengal Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

India isolates 26 people on bird flu fears
01 Feb 2008 10:09:09 GMT
Source: Reuters
(Adds market impact)

By Bappa Majumdar

KOLKATA, India, Feb 1 (Reuters) - India put 26 people in isolation after they fell sick while culling poultry in a state affected by bird flu, while medical staff were monitoring hundreds of others, officials said on Friday.

Those quarantined in the eastern state of West Bengal complained of fever and respiratory distress over the past few days, but health staff said it was unlikely they had bird flu.

India has not reported any human infection of the H5N1 bird flu virus in its four outbreaks of avian influenza since 2006.

"The preliminary tests for bird flu are negative, but more tests are being conducted and the list of sick people reviewed every day," R.S. Shukla, a senior health official, told Reuters.

Bird flu has spread to 13 of West Bengal's 19 districts, spelling trouble for parts of India's poultry business.

Egg exports from the world's second largest producer have dropped about 50 percent in the past two weeks, leaving the industry with losses of around $20 million, trade officials said.

Consumption of poultry products has fallen to negligible levels in West Bengal, but chicken sales are recovering in the rest of India after an initial wobble when the latest outbreak was announced.

Veterinary staff have culled 2.6 million birds, completing what officials said was a successful operation that had brought the bird flu situation under control.

The focus now is on hundreds of medical and veterinary workers and villagers who had come into close contact with dead or sick birds. Officials said health staff returning home after the culling operation had been asked to get themselves checked.

Dozens of isolation wards had been created in hospitals in the affected districts to handle any sudden rush of suspected human cases.

Experts fear the H5N1 strain could mutate into a form easily transmitted from person to person, leading to a pandemic, especially in countries such as India where people live in close proximity to backyard poultry.

"We are aware of the consequences of a possible human infection and we are taking all possible measures," Surjya Kanta Mishra, the state's health minister, said.

Bird deaths were reported from the north Indian state of Haryana, close to New Delhi, but authorities said preliminary tests for bird flu had turned up negative.

"There have been some deaths, but these are due to septicaemia and not avian flu," V.P Nehra, a senior animal husbandry official, said. (Additional reporting by Geetinder Garewal in HARYANA; Editing by Krittivas Mukherjee)

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/DEL46545.htm

Treyfish · Feb 1, 2008

Re: Bengal Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

Re: Bengal Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

<TABLE style="DIRECTION: ltr" width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>Health Workers Monitored as India Grapples With Bird Flu</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>By VOA News
01 February 2008
</TD><TD vAlign=top align=left></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

<TABLE class=APIMAGE style="DIRECTION: ltr" width=210 align=right><TBODY><TR><TD>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=imagecaption>Indian health officials walk through Namopara Bazar village to cull birds to curb the spread of bird flu in Margram, north of Calcutta, 18 Jan 2008</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Officials in India are closely monitoring health workers amid the country's worst outbreak of bird flu.
In the eastern state of West Bengal, hundreds of workers are being monitored for symptoms of the virus that has now spread to 13 of 19 districts in the state.
Veterinary and medical staff involved with the slaughtering of birds have been asked to quarantine themselves as a precautionary measure before they return home. Hospitals have set up isolation wards to deal with the outbreak.
State officials say more than 2.5 million birds have been killed since bird flu was first detected in the Birbhum district of West Bengal in early January.
There have been no confirmed human cases of bird flu in India, and health officials continue to send blood samples for testing to make sure the virus has not spread to people.
In the neighboring countries of Pakistan and Bangladesh, officials have ordered the slaughter of thousands of chickens after bird flu was detected.
The World Health Organization says 224 people around the world have died from the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu since 2003.
Health experts fear it will mutate into a form that could be easily spread among humans, triggering a global pandemic. :tiphat: http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-02-01-voa45.cfm

Gert van der Hoek · Feb 1, 2008

Re: Bengal Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

Re: Bengal Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

Culler with fever and cold, after returning home from Murshidabad District to his home town Khejuri, he is hospitalized in Tamluk, the district headquarters of Purba Medinipur district of West Bengal.

State in spot after quarantine goof

2 Feb 2008,

KOLKATA: The four Maharashtra residents who came to Murshidabad to help in culling operations can return home only after taking the full course of Tamiflu (10 days) and after burning the clothes they wore during their stay in Bengal.

Once-bitten Maharashtra does not want to take any chances with bird flu. Unfortunately, the West Bengal government, which has suffered a Rs 150-crore loss from avian influenza, is yet to decide what to do about the culling team me-mbers who’ve gone home.

Though officials said the culling team members who’ve returned home can spread infection, hardly any district has taken steps to quarantine them. Many left without prior notice.

The state health department’s worst fear will come true if Subhas Barui, a Khejuri resident hospitalized with fever and cold, is detected with flu. Barui (48), part of a culling team in Birbhum, has been admitted to the Tamluk sub-divisional hospital. He returned to Khejuri on January 29, a day after culling was completed in the district.

The health department has only now woken up to the scare. All beds near Barui’s have been vacated and no one can go near him. "He will be under observation for 10 days," the hospital superintendent said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/rssarticleshow/msid-2749930,prtpage-1.cms

Treyfish · Feb 1, 2008

Re: Bengal Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

Re: Bengal Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

Million birds to be culled in 4 States

Gargi Parsai

<TABLE width="100%" bgColor=#d0f0ff border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>For an ?immunity belt? between bird flu-hit West Bengal and adjoining States </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

<CENTER>[SIZE=-2]? Photo: PTI [/SIZE]

Out of business: A chicken vendor reads a newspaper as bird flu has affected business at the New Market in Kolkata on Friday. </CENTER>
NEW DELHI: The Centre has ordered the culling of poultry birds within a radius of five kilometres in four States adjoining the bird flu-hit districts of West Bengal.
These include Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa and Assam. This step is being taken to create an ?immunity belt? between the bird flu-hit districts and the States that share their borders. A notification to this effect was issued late on Friday night.
In the four States, un-infected poultry birds will be culled to prevent the spread of the pathogenic H5N1. The culling operations will be undertaken in seven districts in Jharkhand, five in Bihar, and two each in Orissa.
It is estimated that the total number of poultry ? mostly backyard ? in Bihar, Jharkhand, Assam and Orissa is 14.5 million. The States have been asked to furnish an estimate of the number of poultry that would be culled in the selected districts but initial estimates put the figure at a minimum of one million. The farmers will be paid compensation. They will also be given relief under a comprehensive package being prepared by the Centre.
The decision is based on the recommendation of a technical committee of experts from the Department of Animal Husbandry, Health and the Indian Council of Agriculture. The committee also considered the option of ?ring vaccination? to healthy poultry birds in the four States but it was dropped as it was not considered feasible to cover each and every bird with the two shots of vaccination. ?With low temperatures that are conducive for the spread of the disease, time is of the essence. Therefore, the decision to cull the birds was taken,? said a highly placed source.
He said the Centre and the States have a difficult task ahead. ?Creating awareness is crucial.?
Animal Husbandry Commissioner S.K. Bandopadhyaya, who is on the expert committee, said culling was nearing completion in West Bengal ? 27.6-lakh had been culled so far of a target of 27.79-lakh birds.
He said blood samples of two bar-headed geese found dead in Jammu had been sent to the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory in Bhopal for testing.
He said migratory geese came into the avian influenza radar about three years ago when they tested positive in China. ?This is the largest flier migratory bird and one that can withstand the cold of Mount Everest. It flies at an altitude of 30,000 ft. About 10,000 migratory birds come to Jammu and Kashmir and the death of two out of these could be chance. There could be any reason and we have sent the samples to the High Security Animal Diseases Laboratory in Bhopal.?
He said some birds died in Bhiwani, Haryana, of a chronic respiratory disorder syndrome, not from avian influenza. There were no reports of unusual mortality in poultry from any other part of the country, including Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, he asserted.
It was too early to say if the situation had been contained in West Bengal even though the number of incidents and mortality was coming down. ?Mopping operations are difficult and about 10 per cent birds are discovered during mopping especially in populated backyard poultry.?
Shashi Khare of the National Institute of Communicable Diseases said there were no human infection cases so far. ?Only one veterinary doctor had some respiratory symptoms in 24 South Parganas, but his blood sample tested negative. There are no patients in the isolation ward.?:tiphat: http://www.hindu.com/2008/02/02/stories/2008020259761200.htm

Treyfish · Feb 1, 2008

Re: Bengal Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

Re: Bengal Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

?Capital prepared to counter avian flu?

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: Health Minister Yoganand Shastri on Friday said the Capital is prepared to counter any incidence of avian flu, adding that unconfirmed cases of poultry dying in Haryana should not be a cause for worry.
?We have formed four teams consisting of officials from the Health Department who will scan the city for any illegal import or sale of infected poultry. The number of veterinarians deployed at the wholesale poultry markets in Ghazipur has been increased. The wholesale poultry market earlier had only two veterinarians, we have now provided them four more for more effective checks. With most of Delhi?s poultry coming from neighbouring Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, we have increased checking at entry points to ensure that no contaminated poultry is brought to the Capital. Hospitals have also been put on an alert.? For its part, the Central Zoo Authority -- an autonomous statutory body that regulates the functioning of zoos -- has alerted all zoos and circuses across the country to take precautionary measures against avian flu. ?Guidelines to deal with avian flu have been issued regularly since 2005. This year again we have advised zoos across the country to be alert. All senior zoo veterinarians have been trained at workshops conducted in Delhi and Chennai on how to deal with avian flu ,? said CZA member-secretary B. R. Sharma.:tiphat: http://www.hindu.com/2008/02/02/stories/2008020259661200.htm

Gert van der Hoek · Feb 1, 2008

Re: Bengal Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

Re: Bengal Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

Culling man under flu watch

OUR BUREAU

Feb. 1: Culling operations will come to an end in the 13 bird flu districts on Sunday, animal resource development minister Anisur Rahman said today.

He said 27,26,840 chickens had been culled till yesterday. “We have revised the target to a little over 29 lakh.”

Subhas Barui, who was part of a culling team in Rampurhat, Birbhum, was admitted to the isolation ward of the Tamluk District Hospital yesterday with symptoms of influenza. A resident of Janka village in East Midnapore’s Khejuri, he was engaged in culling between January 22 and 28. He returned home on January 30.

Barui’s blood and mucus samples have been sent to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Calcutta. “If there is a preliminary confirmation of bird flu, we will send the samples to the National Institute of Virology, Pune, or ICMR Delhi,” said health service director Sanchita Bakshi.

The government today issued a directive asking officials to ensure that culling team members were quarantined for at least seven days before returning home.

Health officials said 26 culling team members have been under observation. Eighteen of them have already tested negative for bird flu.

Private culling

In Falakata, Alipurduar, 2,000 chickens were culled at a farm last night after 1,000 birds allegedly died within an hour.

Swapan Kar, who owns the farm, said: “We immediately contacted Sagun, the company that had supplied the poultry birds. Its officials culled 2,000 chickens to finish the stock.”

The culled birds were buried at the farm. Poultry samples have been sent for tests.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080202/jsp/bengal/story_8854616.jsp

Gert van der Hoek · Feb 1, 2008

Re: Bengal Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

Re: Bengal Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

'Govt failed to look after safety of culling teams'

Saugar Sengupta | Kolkata

Even as a thousand children showed bird flu-like symptoms in Chahol block of Malda district and one member of a culling team was admitted to a East Midnapore hospital awaiting results of his blood test, the Bengal Government on Friday admitted that it should have been more cautious while dealing with the teams engaged in culling about 30 lakh chickens across the State.

"The officials should have been a bit cautious about allowing these people to go back to their families without getting their blood tested," State Animal Resources Development Minister Anisur Rahaman said, adding "directives have been issued that culling team members must be quarantined for seven days to prevent contracting the H5N1 virus."

When asked about the conditions of those showing avian flu-like symptoms similar to people from Indonesia and even Hong Kong reportedly had caught the disease the Minister said there was no threat to humans "till now."

http://www.dailypioneer.com/indexn12.asp?main_variable=STATES&file_name=state8.txt&counter_img=8

Thornton · Feb 1, 2008

Re: Bengal Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

Re: Bengal Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

from the article in Post #68 above -

Even as a thousand children showed bird flu-like symptoms in Chahol block of Malda district ...

seems lke a thousand children sick with anything would attract attention.
JT

Diane Morin · Feb 2, 2008

Re: Bengal Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

Re: Bengal Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

Bengal medicos protest against govt?s apathy in checking spread of bird flu

Posted February 2nd, 2008
by Mohit JoshiIndia News Kolkata

Kolkata/Hoogly, Feb 2: Medical professionals in Kolkata are dissatisfied with the State Government?s action to check the spread of bird flu, which has engulfed more than half of the State.

The medicos said that they would submit a memorandum to Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee highlighting their protest.

"We are fully dissatisfied with the government's delayed programme. The persons (poultry farm owners) affected are in jeopardy. Their economy is in a bad state," said Ashok Samanta, Secretary, Hospital and Public Health Committee, Kolkata.

Meanwhile, veterinary workers in Hoogly District began the third phase of culling operations.

"Five teams are working and 20 more teams will get down to work. The doctors have been working here for quite some time and have an idea of the place. A compensation of Rupees 12 lakh has already been disbursed," said Pradip Roy, an official with the State?s Animal Husbandry Department.

The total number of avian influenza-affected districts in the State has gone up to 13 out of the 19 districts, despite culling of birds being taken up on a war footing.

The 5000-crore organised poultry industry in West Bengal has been badly-hit. Since January 15, when the epidemic was officially declared, chicken sales and exports have dipped to an all-time low.

The WHO has called the outbreak the most serious in India. (ANI)

http://www.topnews.in/bengal-medicos-protest-against-govt-s-apathy-checking-spread-bird-flu-218032

Treyfish · Feb 2, 2008

Re: Bengal Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

Re: Bengal Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

WB bird flu: 2 held for covertly burying chickens
Saturday, February 2, 2008 (Siliguri)

Two employees of a Tamil Nadu poultry breeder were detained on Saturday for allegedly burying 2,100 sick fowl at a farm in a Jalpaiguri village without informing the West Bengal Animal Husbandry department.

The management of the poultry farm at Parangerpar village in Falakat area found around 60 fowls to be sick and allegedly buried them, Jalpaiguri District Council chief Banamali Roy said.

He said some workers from a Tamil Nadu farm, which also supplied it with bird, reached there around midnight last night and allegedly buried the chicken at the same spot.

On the basis of an FIR lodged by the panchayat pradhan, the police picked up two employees of the Tamil Nadu farm and were interrogating them, he said.

Roy said blood samples of the buried chicken have been sent to Kolkata for testing.

Health department and administrative officials of north Bengal districts are coping with the added problem of people in rural areas becoming suspicious about any person suffering from cold or fever.

At Jaridharala and Daridas villages under Dinhata sub-division of Coochbehar district, 13 persons were suffering from fever.

Siliguri Additional District Magistrate Panna Lal Mahapatra told reporters two medical teams would be sent there to examine them to restore the confidence of the villagers.:tiphat: http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv...206:27:00%20PM

sharon sanders · Feb 2, 2008

Re: India - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 24+

Re: India - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 24+

Health worker monitored for bird flu in India as culling nears end

  Feb 2, 2008, 8:54 GMT

New Delhi - Authorities in India's eastern West Bengal state were set to reach their target of culling 2.9 million poultry on Saturday in an attempt to contain an outbreak of bird flu, while a sick health worker was being closely monitored, media reports said.
'The man who fell sick after returning from culling ... is under special observation at a hospital. His samples have been sent for tests. But so far we have not found anything to suggest he is infected,' West Bengal Health Department official RS Shukla was quoted as saying by IANS news agency.
Avian flu has been confirmed in 14 of West Bengal's 19 districts in an outbreak described as the most serious so far in India by the World Health Organization (WHO).
India has seen two previous outbreaks of avian flu but no human infections were reported.
Shukla said media reports of suspected human infection in the current outbreak were incorrect.
'No one has been quarantined. There is only routine surveillance of the people engaged in culling operations. Many of them are anyway falling sick due to the intense cold,' Shukla said.
'We are maintaining records of people falling sick. If there is anything indicative of human infection we will take necessary measures. But so far all 18 tests we have carried out have proved negative,' he said.
The H5N1 virus is highly contagious among birds but is difficult to pass to humans, who usually become infected through close contact with infected birds or contaminated surfaces.
Health experts fear, however, that the virus could mutate into a form that could easily pass between humans, setting off a global pandemic that could kill millions.
The WHO has confirmed at least 223 deaths in 12 countries in Asia and Africa up to January 29.
West Bengal reported the outbreak of bird flu on January 15, while neighbouring Bangladesh announced an outbreak on January 3.

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/t...ed_for_bird_flu_in_India_as_culling_nears_end

Gert van der Hoek · Feb 2, 2008

Re: India - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 24+

Re: India - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 24+

Florida1 said:
Health worker monitored for bird flu in India as culling nears end

Just to prevent confusion: in this case the health worker is a culler.

An possibly infected culler signals B2H contamination, a possibly infected healthworker could signal H2H contamination, if positive patient(s) were treated. B2H and H2H are not the same thing.

Gert van der Hoek · Feb 2, 2008

Re: Bengal Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

Re: Bengal Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

Government of India
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Status Report on Avian Influenza in West Bengal

(2.2.2008)

http://mohfw.nic.in/Status Report on Aviian Influenza in West Bengal-2.2.2008.doc

HenryN · Feb 2, 2008

Re: Bengal Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

Re: Bengal Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

Dutchy said:
Government of India
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Status Report on Avian Influenza in West Bengal

(2.2.2008)

http://mohfw.nic.in/Status Report on Aviian Influenza in West Bengal-2.2.2008.doc

Government of <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com

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Ministry of Health and Family Welfare<o

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Status Report on Avian Influenza in <st1lace w:st="on">West Bengal</st1lace> <o></o>

(2.2.2008)<o></o>

<o

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Number of affected districts remains the same. A total population of 22.65 lakhs is under surveillance [11.08 lakhs in 0-3 Km area and 11.57 lakhs in 3-10 Km area]. Rapid Response Teams of the State Govt. and Govt. of India are involved in the activity. No suspected human cases of Avian Influenza have been detected<o

></o

>
<o

> </o

>
The district-wise details on surveillance and health related activities in 0-3 Km area and 3-10 Km area around the epicenters are as under: <o

></o

>
<o

> </o

>
? Birbhum District <o

></o

>
<o

> </o

>
? The surveillance teams are conducting active surveillance in 0-3 Km area and in 3-10 Km Zone in the affected blocks <o

></o

>
? Out of a population of 3,86,964 in 0-3 Kms of the epicenters in these blocks 3,14,259 have been covered on daily basis. <o

></o

>
? Out of a population of 5,11,023 in 3-10 Kms of the epicenters 2,20,364 have been covered.<o

></o

>
? A total of 1131 persons [685 in 0-3 Km area and 446 in 3-10 km area] with fever/URI have been detected during surveillance. In the identified hospital 386 cases of fever/URI have reported. No one had exposure history to sick/ dead poultry. One person is under observation. <o

></o

>
? A total of 552 animal health workers [veterinary surgeon, poultry workers, cullers, spraying workers etc.] have been medically examined/ followed up. All are under chemoprophylaxis. <o

></o

>
? 619 Health personnel [medical officers, health supervisors and health workers] are involved in surveillance activities and they are also under cover of Tamiflu. 13 hospital staff have been examined. <o

></o

>
? No suspected human cases of Avian Influenza have been detected<o

></o

>
<o

> </o

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? South Dinajpur District: <o

></o

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<o

> </o

>
? In 3-10 Km area, survey is conducted in phases and they have covered a population of 25,786. There had been 41 fever/URI cases in 3-10 Km area. None of them had exposure history. <o

></o

>
? 63 Health personnel [medical officers, health supervisors and health workers] have been examined. 25 of them are under chemoprophylaxis. <o

></o

>
? No suspected human cases of Avian Influenza have been detected. <o

></o

>
<o

> </o

>
? Murshidabad District: <o

></o

>
<o

> </o

>
? A population of 1,42,544 in 0-3 Km area is under daily surveillance. In 3-10 Km area a population of 1,96,439 have been covered. <o

></o

>
? There had been 290 persons with Fever/URI. 4 persons had exposure history. They are being followed up. They have no signs of lower respiratory tract infection. <o

></o

>
? 145 persons with fever/URI have reported in the hospital. Nine of them had exposure history. They have no signs of lower respiratory tract infection. <o

></o

>
? A total of 468 animal health workers [veterinary surgeon, poultry workers, cullers, spraying workers etc.]. They are under chemoprophylaxis. 1285 Health personnel [medical officers, health supervisors and health workers] and 192 hospital staff have been medically examined. <o

></o

>
? No suspected human cases of Avian Influenza have been detected<o

></o

>
<o

> </o

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? Nadia District:<o

></o

>
<o

> </o

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? In 0-3 km area the teams have covered a population of 2,34,964<o

></o

>
? In 3-10 Km area the teams have covered a population of 3,76,888<o

></o

>
? A total of 1012 persons [361 in 0-3 Km area and 651 in 3-10 km area] with fever/URI have been detected during surveillance. Nine persons with Fever/ URI had exposure history. They are being followed up. <o

></o

>
? In the hospital 109 persons with fever/URI have reported and none of them had exposure history. One person had exposure history. Two persons having fever/URI, admitted in the hospital and are under observation. <o

></o

>
? A total of 1168 animal health workers [veterinary surgeon, poultry workers, cullers, spraying workers etc.] were examined and they are under chemoprophylaxis. 929 Health personnel [medical officers, health supervisors and health workers] and 45 hospital staff have been examined. <o

></o

>
? No suspected human cases of Avian Influenza have been detected<o

></o

>
<o

> </o

>
? Burdwan District <o

></o

>
<o

> </o

>
? In 0-3 km area, out of a total population of 1,64,585 the teams have covered 1,53,816 persons. <o

></o

>
? In 3-10 Km area, out of total population of 10,42,886 the teams have covered a population of 1,49,996.<o

></o

>
? There had been 161 persons [110 in 0-3 Km area and 51 in 3-10 Km area] with URI/ Fever. None of them had exposure history<o

></o

>
? In the hospital 13 persons with fever/URI have reported and none of them had exposure history<o

></o

>
? A total of 510 animal health workers [veterinary surgeon, poultry workers, cullers, spraying workers etc.] examined and they are under chemoprophylaxis. 369 Health personnel [medical officers, health supervisors and health workers] have been examined. <o

></o

>
? No suspected human cases of Avian Influenza have been detected<o

></o

>
<o

> </o

>
? Hooghly District<o

></o

>
<o

> </o

>
? In 0-3 Km area a population of 30,410 have been covered.<o

></o

>
? In 0-10 Km area, out of a population of 79,716 the teams have covered 28,467.<o

></o

>
? A total of 82 persons have been detected [ 25 in 0-3 km area and 57 in 3-10 km area] with fever/URI with no exposure history. <o

></o

>
? In the hospital 50 persons with fever/ URI have reported. None of them had exposure history. <o

></o

>
? A total of 456 animal health workers [veterinary surgeon, poultry workers, cullers, spraying workers etc.] have been examined and they are under chemoprophylaxis. 114 Health personnel [medical officers, health supervisors and health workers] and 28 hospital staff are involved in surveillance activities have also been examined. <o

></o

>
? No suspected human cases of Avian Influenza have been detected.<o

></o

>
<o

> </o

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? Bankura District <o

></o

>
<o

> </o

>
? Surveillance activity is conducted in 0-3 Km and 3-10 Km area. <o

></o

>
? In 0-3 Km area a population of 9200 has been covered <o

></o

>
? In 3-10 km area a population of 15951 have been covered<o

></o

>
? A total of 22 persons have been detected [4 in 0-3 Km area and 18 in 3-10 km area with fever/URI with no exposure history. <o

></o

>
? A total of 141 animal health workers [veterinary surgeon, poultry workers, cullers, spraying workers etc.]. 18 Health personnel [medical officers, health supervisors and health workers] and 15 hospital staff have also been medically examined. They are under chemoprophylaxis. <o

></o

>
? In the area under surveillance no suspected human cases of Avian Influenza have been detected<o

></o

>
<o

> </o

>
? Howrah District<o

></o

>
<o

> </o

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? Surveillance activity has started in 0-3 Km and 3-10 Km area. <o

></o

>
? In 0-3 Km area a population of 1,81,527 and 186676 in 3-10 Km have been covered. <o

></o

>
? In 0-3 Km area 10 persons have been found with fever/URI with no exposure history<o

></o

>
? In the hospital seven persons with fever/ URI has reported. None of them had no exposure history. <o

></o

>
? A total of 38 animal health workers [veterinary surgeon, poultry workers, cullers, spraying workers etc.] and 83 Health personnel [medical officers, health supervisors and health workers] have been examined and are under chemoprophylaxis. <o

></o

>
<o

> </o

>
? Purulia District <o

></o

>
<o

> </o

>
? Surveillance activity has started in 0-3 Km and 3-10 Km area. <o

></o

>
? In 0-3 Km area a population of 4,644 and a population of 7,095 in 3-10 Km have been covered. <o

></o

>
? 51 cases of fever/URI have been detected [15 in 0-3 Km area and 36 in 3-10 Km area]. None of them had exposure history. <o

></o

>
? In the hospital 37 persons with fever/ URI have reported. None of them had exposure history. <o

></o

>
? A total of 128 animal health workers [veterinary surgeon, poultry workers, cullers, spraying workers etc.] have been examined and they are under chemoprophylaxis. 42 Health personnel [medical officers, health supervisors and health workers] have been examined and eight of them are under chemoprophylaxis. <o

></o

>
<o

> </o

>
? Cooch Behar District<o

></o

>
<o

> </o

>
? Surveillance activity is being conducted in 0-3 Km and 3-10 Km area. <o

></o

>
? In 0-3 Km area a population of 28286 have been covered. In 3-10 Km the teams have covered 24343. <o

></o

>
? A total of 69 persons have been detected [53 in 0-3 Km area and 16 in 3-10 km area with fever/URI. One person had exposure history and is being followed up. <o

></o

>
? A total of 226 animal health workers [veterinary surgeon, poultry workers, cullers, spraying workers etc.] and 15 hospital staff have been examined and they are under chemoprophylaxis.<o

></o

>
<o

> </o

>
? Malda District<o

></o

>
<o

> </o

>
? Surveillance activity is being conducted in 0-3 Km and 3-10 Km area. <o

></o

>
? In 0-3 Km area a population of 30,684 have been covered. In 3-10 Km the teams have covered 47,030. <o

></o

>
? 598 cases of fever/URI have been detected [367 in 0-3 Km area and 231 in 3-10 Km area]. Two persons had exposure history. They are being followed up.<o

></o

>
? 35 persons with fever/URI reported in the hospital and none of them had exposure history.<o

></o

>
? A total of 480 animal health workers [veterinary surgeon, poultry workers, cullers, spraying workers etc.] and they are under chemoprophylaxis. 456 Health personnel [medical officers, health supervisors and health workers] have been examined and eighteen of them are under chemoprophylaxis. <o

></o

>
<o

> </o

>
? Paschim Medinapur<o

></o

>
<o

> </o

>
? Surveillance activity is being conducted in 0-3 Km and 3-10 Km area. <o

></o

>
? In 0-3 Km area a population of 17341 have been covered. In 3-10 Km the teams have covered 32,811. <o

></o

>
? 6 cases of fever/URI have been detected [2 in 0-3 Km area and 4 in 3-10 Km area]. None of them had exposure history. <o

></o

>
? 301 persons with fever/URI reported in the hospital and none of them had exposure history. There are 14 inpatients. No exposure history. <o

></o

>
? A total of 208 animal health workers [veterinary surgeon, poultry workers, cullers, spraying workers etc.] and they are under chemoprophylaxis. 125 Health personnel [medical officers, health supervisors and health workers] have been examined and five of them are under chemoprophylaxis. <o

></o

>
<o

> </o

>
? North 24 Parganas<o

></o

>
<o

> </o

>
? Surveillance activity is being conducted in 0-3 Km and 3-10 Km area. <o

></o

>
? In 0-3 Km area a population of 26,419 have been covered. In 3-10 Km the teams have covered 61142. <o

></o

>
? 28 cases of fever/URI have been detected [5 in 0-3 Km area and 23 in 3-10 Km area]. None of them had exposure history. <o

></o

>
? A total of 200 animal health workers [veterinary surgeon, poultry workers, cullers, spraying workers etc.] and 591 Health personnel [medical officers, health supervisors and health workers] and 18 hospital staff have been examined and they are under chemoprophylaxis. <o

></o

>
<o

> </o

>
? South 24 Parganas<o

></o

>
<o

> </o

>
? Surveillance activity is going on in 0-3 Km and 3-10 Km area. <o

></o

>
? In 0-3 Km area a population of 19,542 have been covered. In 3-10 Km the teams have covered 55096. <o

></o

>
? 4 cases of fever/URI have been detected [1 in 0-3 Km area and 3 in 3-10 Km area]. None of them had exposure history. <o

></o

>
? 110 persons with fever/URI reported in the hospital and none of them had exposure history. There are two inpatients. No exposure history<o

></o

>
? A total of 386 animal health workers [veterinary surgeon, poultry workers, cullers, spraying workers etc.] have been examined and two were found unfit. They are under chemoprophylaxis. 224 Health personnel [medical officers, health supervisors and health workers] have been examined. 30 hospital staff have been examined and they are under chemoprophylaxis. <o

></o

>
<o

> </o

>
? States of Jharkhand, <st1

lace w:st="on">Bihar</st1

lace> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1

lace w:st="on">Assam</st1

lace></st1:country-region> that share a common border with <st1

lace w:st="on">West Bengal</st1

lace> have been instructed to ban and prevent any entry of poultry or poultry related products from <st1

lace w:st="on">West Bengal</st1

lace> into these States. Other States have also been put on alert. <o

></o

>
<o

> </o

>
? MOHFW has supplied 4,20,000 capsules of Tamiflu, 5000 personal protective equipments, 5000 N-95 masks and 20 ventilators and 150 bottles of Tamiflu syrup. <o

></o

>
<o

> </o

>
? A stock of 10,000 Tamiflu and 500 PPE have been sent to the States of Assam, <st1

lace w:st="on">Bihar</st1

lace> and Jharkhand. <o

></o

>
<o

> </o

>
? The IEC campaign initiated by MOHFW as stated in the earlier reports is continuing. <o

></o

>
<o

> </o

>
? Central RRTs have been deployed to all the districts. Trained Rapid Response teams from <st1

lace w:st="on">Gujarat</st1

lace> and <st1

lace w:st="on">Goa</st1

lace> have been deployed to the affected areas. The team from <st1

lace w:st="on">Maharashtra</st1

lace> has been assigned the task of reviewing the preparedness in the unaffected districts of Jalpaiguri, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1

lace w:st="on">Darjeeling</st1

lace></st1:City> and <st1

lace w:st="on">North Dinajpur</st1

lace>. <o

></o

>
<o

> </o

>
? The manpower under Pulse-Polio programme supported by WHO has been requested to conduct surveillance for reporting influenza like illness in the districts adjoining affected areas of West Bengal. This includes the bordering districts of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1

lace w:st="on">Assam</st1

lace></st1:country-region>, Jharkhand, <st1

lace w:st="on">Bihar</st1

lace>, Tripura and Orissa. <o

></o

>
<o

> </o

>
? The situation is being monitored on a daily basis. <o

></o

>
<o

> </o

>

Gert van der Hoek · Feb 2, 2008

Re: Bengal Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

Re: Bengal Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

Bird Flu in West Bengal

Date : 2 Feb,2008

The West Bengal Health Department has decided to quarantine the rapid-response teams of the state for a period of seven days, after some of the members reported high fever. According to the Animal Resource Development Minister, Shri Anisur Rahman, culling operations will be over by Sunday evening in the state.

According to official statistics, 27, 26,840 chickens have been killed in the culling procedure, till yesterday evening. The culling target has been raised to more than 29 lakhs by the State Health Department. About 26 members of the rapid response teams engaged in the culling operations are under strict medical supervision, out of which 18 members have been declared to be medically fit.

http://www.mapsofindia.com/maps/mapinnews/bird-flu-in-west-bengal.html

Treyfish · Feb 2, 2008

Re: Bengal Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

Re: Bengal Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=4 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=articleheader>New village on flu map
</TD></TR><TR><TD class=story align=left>

Feb. 2: Bird flu was confirmed in a Canning village today and the government revised its culling target to 30 lakh.
?Poultry samples from Jibantala village of Canning block II have tested positive for the flu at the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory in Bhopal,? said South 24-Parganas district magistrate Sanghamitra Ghosh.
Animal resource development minister Anisur Rahman said culling operations in Jibantala would begin tomorrow. ?We had earlier planned to complete culling in 13 bird flu-hit districts by Sunday.?
Mop-up operations are likely to continue till Tuesday.
Asked if villagers would get compensation for birds caught during the mop-up, Rahman said: ?Village elders are already on the job, asking people to hand over their birds before the mop-up begins. We have begun the exercise in advance to ensure all villagers get compensation for their birds.?
Subhas Barui, the culling team member who had been hospitalised with symptoms of influenza after returning home from Rampurhat, has tested negative for bird flu. :tiphat:

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080203/jsp/bengal/story_8857575.jsp

AlaskaDenise · Feb 2, 2008

Re: Bengal Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

Re: Bengal Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

niman said:
Commentary at

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/01310807/H5N1_Balurghat_2.html

Commentary http://www.recombinomics.com/feed.xml http://www.newsnow.co.uk/nn/Recombinomics

Another Suspect H5N1 Case in Balurghat South Dinajpur

Recombinomics Commentary 22:44
January 31, 2008

Panic broke out at Mangalpur More, Jogomaya Para in Balurghat today, over the illness of a 17-year-old girl. The victim, Ms Priyanka Malakar has been admitted to the Balurghat Hospital with breathing trouble, high fever and rashes all over her body her body.

Admitting the matter, the CMOH, South Dinajpur Mr BB Mahapatra said that the symptoms were similar to human flu and measles

The above comments describe another suspect H5N1 victim in Balurghat, South Dinajpur, the site of one of the first confirmed bid flu outbreaks in West Bengal (see satellite map here and here). It is one of the first suspect case involving breathing difficulties, a symptom of a lower respiratory infection due to H5N1.

The story does not mention exposure to poultry, but H5N1 infections of poultry, wild birds, and other carnivores are common in West Bengal and Bangladesh. Balurghat is on the West Bengal, Bangladesh border. H5N1 has also been confirmed across the border in Rajshai, Bangladesh in crows and ducks.

More information on exposures and test results, including pneumonia, would be useful.

.

HenryN · Feb 3, 2008

Re: Bengal Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

Re: Bengal Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

Express news service
Posted online: Monday, February 04, 2008 at 0025 hrs IST
Kolkata, February 3
Culling operations in the 14 bird flu-affected districts of the state are nearing their end, but hundreds of people who carried these operations have returned to their homes even without completing the entire dosage of Tamiflu tablets or remaining under observation for the prescribed period.
Each member of the culling team that comprised locals recruited on a daily basis and Animal Resource Development (ARD) officials, is supposed to take the tablets for at least 10 days after the culling operation is complete. This has, however, not happened at the grassroots level, thereby rendering the entire safety measures ineffective. Meanwhile, the culling at some parts of the state is scheduled to continue even tomorrow.
At Rampurhat sub-division, where the avian influenza was first detected, over 300 locals were recruited along with the ARD staff members, who operated in various villages. But after a couple of days into the culling, none took the medicine. Culling operations in the sub-division were over on February 1. Over 600 ARD officials also skipped the medication and returned home.
?As far as the locals in the culling team are considered, we are not responsible if they do not undergo health check-ups or take medicines. However, we are asking the ARD staff to stay in their respective areas for 10 days, so that they can receive the medicines. We are responsible for them,? said state ARD minister, Anisur Rehman.
The health officials in Birbhum, however, blamed the ARD for the faux pas.
?The ARD officials recruited locals in the team. They were supposed to keep a list and produce them before us. It is the ARD?s responsibility to ensure that these men receive the medicines and come for the check ups. The ARD staff members too have gone back to their homes. The entire course becomes ineffective if it is not completed,? said Birbhum CMOH Sunil Kumar Bhowmik.
Madhab Mal, a resident of Margram village who took part in the culling operations, said: ?We took the tablets for two days after the culling operations began on January 16. After that, no medicines were given to us. Now, after culling is over, no one has even contacted us.?
According to the state government officials, till Saturday, an estimated 31,91,420 birds were culled by the 277 teams operating in various districts of the state, including Hooghly, North 24 Paraganas and South 24 Parganas. The teams also carried out culling in a radius of 5 km at Jibantala village of the Canning sub-division in South 24 Parganas where bird flu was confirmed yesterday.
?The culling operations are still continuing in certain areas. Therefore, the process will continue tomorrow. We are trying to complete the process as fast as possible,? said the ARD minister.

http://www.indianexpress.com/printerFriendly/268808.html

Treyfish · Feb 3, 2008

Re: Bengal Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

Re: Bengal Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

Assam begins culling over 85,000 chicken 
Web posted at: 2/4/2008 0:54:42
Source ::: IANS

guwahati/kolkata ? Assam has began culling over 85,000 chicken following a directive by the central health ministry after the outbreak of bird flu in adjoining West Bengal last month, officials said yesterday.
?The process of culling has already started involving about 40 Rapid Response Teams with five members in each group led by a veterinarian,? Parthajyoti Gogoi, regional director (northeast) of the central health ministry based here, said.
The culling is being carried out in about 40 villages within a 5km radius of Assam?s border with West Bengal since Saturday evening. The poultry targeted in the two bordering districts of Assam?s Kokrajhar and Dhubri includes ducks and chickens.
?The entire culling process is to be completed in about seven to ten days as our teams are visiting each and every household in the area. We estimate there could be some 85,000 poultry in the area where culling is currently underway,? Gogoi said.
?All the veterinary personnel involved in the culling process were being administered the antiviral drug Tamiflu as a precautionary measure.? The Indian health ministry on Friday sounded an alert in the northeastern state of Assam by asking authorities to cull birds in villages bordering the avian flu hit eastern state of West Bengal as a precautionary measure.
?There are no reported cases of bird flu in Assam and the entire exercise is being done as a precautionary measure. We need to be alert and careful so that the virus does not spread to Assam,? Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said.
Assam?s veterinary and animal husbandry department has sounded an alert and maintaining strict surveillance on farms in the state with veterinarians carrying out checks on all poultry. ?We are conducting blood tests and screening on a daily basis across the state and so far the state is safe with not a single bird testing positive,? a senior veterinary official said.
Meanwhile, poultry business has already been hit in Assam after the outbreak of bird flu in adjoining West Bengal state. Assam and other northeastern states have already banned the import of poultry from West Bengal.
Meanwhile, culling of poultry continued in the new areas affected by bird flu in West Bengal after samples from Canning near Kolkata tested positive, but officials said there was no case of human infection. ?We have sent our culling teams to Canning block-II and hopefully we would complete the entire process in next two days,? West Bengal Animal Resources Development Minister Anisur Rahman said.
West Bengal on Saturday achieved its culling target of 3.2 million poultry birds but the process had to be extended after reports of fresh outbreak in some affected districts. The agriculture ministry in New Delhi confirmed on Saturday that bird samples collected from Canning 2 block of South 24-Parganas district, 60km from here, had tested positive for bird flu.
The minister also said that the reports of bird flu infections amongst human were not true. Though some animal resources development personnel fell ill after the culling, they all tested negative. With this, all the 19 people whose blood samples were sent to central laboratories have tested negative, bringing relief to the government battling India?s worst ever bird flu outbreak.
According to reports, a man from East Midnapore district fell ill after returning from culling at Rampurhat in Birbhum district and was kept under special observation at a hospital. :tiphat: http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Di...February2008&file=World_News2008020405442.xml

India/Bengal/Tripura Bird Flu Spread to Humans?

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