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India - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 13 - Jan 20

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Re: India sounds bird flu alert after chicken deaths; H5N1 confirmed

Re: India sounds bird flu alert after chicken deaths; H5N1 confirmed

Bird flu scare hits poultry sales
Bijendra Ahlawat
Tribune News Service
Jind, January 19
In the wake of official reports of bird flu in West Bengal and some neighbouring countries, a scare has hit poultry sales in Jind also, which is one of the most prominent hubs of poultry farming in the northern part of the country.
Though there is a very minor drop in the overall business at the production level, rates of poultry products, including eggs and chicken, have gone down sharply at the consumer end. The district has over a dozen hatcheries and at least 100 poultry farms.
?While the overall consumption of poultry products has not been extraordinarily high here in comparison to other districts of the state, the district has emerged as a frontrunner in matter of production and supply of such products,? said Rattan Singh, a poultry farmer.
Claiming that the fear of bird flu had started haunting minds of a majority of farmers because of a drop in demand of poultry products, he said the fear of the disease had not hit breeders or owners of hatcheries, who supply chicks to them as there had been no remarkable decrease in the rate of the product.
He said the price of one piece of chick was now hovering around Rs 14 against the rate, which had been between Rs 17 and 18 earlier.
Stating that though there had been no report of outbreak of bird flu from anywhere in the state so far, he claimed that the chicks here had been already prone to a viral fever, which had caused death of a large number of small birds recently. He said small and medium farmers would be affected the most if bird flu hits the district and no safety cover had been provided at any level by government authorities.
?I lost over 1,000 chicks in the past week due to a viral disease for which no drug or medicine was available in the market,? he said.
A member of the Poultry Farmers Association here said the district had only half a dozen farms, which supplied eggs in the market, while a majority of the supply comes from Ambala district. There had been around 10 per cent negative affect on the overall business so far after the reports of bird flu in West Bengal.:tiphat: http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20080120/haryana.htm#4
 
Re: India sounds bird flu alert after chicken deaths; H5N1 confirmed

Re: India sounds bird flu alert after chicken deaths; H5N1 confirmed

Gordon Brown arrives in India




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New Delhi, Jan 20: British Prime Minister Gordon Brown arrived here Sunday afternoon by a special aircraft on a two-day state visit.
<SCRIPT type=text/javascript jWi2N="0"><!--google_ad_client = "pub-8582020459985618";google_ad_width = 250;google_ad_height = 250;google_ad_format = "250x250_as";google_ad_type = "text_image";//2007-12-04: News 250x250google_ad_channel = "3915836862";google_color_border = "FFFFCC";google_color_bg = "FFFFFF";google_color_link = "CC0000";google_color_text = "333333";google_color_url = "0066CC";google_ui_features = "rc:10";//--></SCRIPT><SCRIPT src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type=text/javascript jWi2N="0"></SCRIPT>
Accompanied by senior ministers and a large business delegation, Brown's special aircraft landed from Beijing.

His agenda Sunday includes a meeting with women entrepreneurs at the Nehru Youth Centre and an Entrepreneurs Summit at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT).

On Monday, he will start his day early with a keynote speech at a breakfast session organised by the business chambers that will be followed by a ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhawan and a visit to Mahatma Gandhi's memorial at Rajghat.

Thereafter at Delhi University he will conferred by a honorary degree at its annual convocation. He will also inaugurate the India-UK Sports initiative at the university.

In the evening he will have talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at Hyderabad House. They are expected to discuss a wide-range of subject from climate change, education, terrorism to United Nations reforms.

This will be followed by a banquet after which he will leave New Delhi for London. :tiphat: http://www.newkerala.com/one.php?action=fullnews&id=14876
 
Re: India sounds bird flu alert after chicken deaths; H5N1 confirmed

Re: India sounds bird flu alert after chicken deaths; H5N1 confirmed

No need to panic, says Anbumani


Special Correspondent



<TABLE width="100%" bgColor=#d0f0ff border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>?Steps taken to stop spread of bird flu? </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>



<HR color=lightblue noShade>Says no report of people being affected
Government taking steps to create awareness
<HR color=lightblue noShade>

CHENNAI: Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Anbumani Ramadoss clarified here on Sunday that there was no reported case of people being affected by the bird flu and that there was no need to panic.
?Not a single case [of people being infected] has been reported so far and we are taking all measures to stop the spread of the bird flu. :magnify: One lakh birds have been culled in the three districts in West Bengal and necessary action has been taken,? Dr. Ramadoss said.
On Saturday, officials said the disease had spread to Burdwan and Nadia districts. The West Bengal government indicated that around four lakh birds will have to be culled.
Acknowledges delays


Dr. Ramadoss acknowledged that there were ?delays? in handling the problem in the early stages. ?Now the West Bengal government is improving and action is proceeding at full-speed,? he said.
The government had taken steps to create awareness on the disease. ?The government has instructed its administration that as soon as they suspect anything, the concerned authorities have to be alerted,? he said.
A substantial quantity of the required pills was made available and self-help groups were given access to the pills.
Global problem
Dr. Ramadoss said that part of the problem in addressing the disease was its global scale.
?Our neighbouring countries Pakistan, China, Bangladesh, Thailand, Indonesia and Myanmar have been affected,? he said.
?We cannot stop birds coming in from other countries. It is not only India?s problem, as it has also spread to European countries and Africa.?
On the outcome of the Sambasiva Rao Committee report on one-year compulsory rural service for medicos, Dr. Ramadoss said he had not yet received the report.
?It will come to be within the next month. After studying it, we will take an appropriate course of action,? he said.
Pictorial warning


Dr. Ramadoss indicated that display of pictorial warning signs on cigarette packets was not far away.
?The High Court in Himachal Pradesh has put a stay on it until March, but it will be done,? he said.
A committee under External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee would soon give its recommendations on the nature of the warnings, following which a decision would be announced in the coming months, he added.:tiphat: http://www.hindu.com/2008/01/21/stories/2008012155181300.htm
 
Re: India sounds bird flu alert after chicken deaths; H5N1 confirmed

Re: India sounds bird flu alert after chicken deaths; H5N1 confirmed

Municipality source here today said measles-like rashes that erupted on the skin of 15 people of three families of Navin Palii in Kanchrapara municipal area in North 24 Parganas caused panic here.

http://www.newkerala.com/one.php?action=fullnews&id=14998
Click to expand...

The rash may be sign of a septic shock syndrome, secondary effect of an acute bacterial or viral disease, such as meningococcal meningitis, pneumonia, - and other disease as measles, rubella, chikungunya fever may be implied.
Whether avian influenza virus H5N1 could be the culprit remains to establish and in the current chaotic situation an accurate diagnosis seems difficult.
 
Re: India sounds bird flu alert after chicken deaths; H5N1 confirmed

Re: India sounds bird flu alert after chicken deaths; H5N1 confirmed

vinny said:
are skin rashes symptoms of bird flu in humans...........?
Click to expand...

It could be a sign of septic shock syndrome, and an acute viral disease as human infection by H5N1 could lead to this condition, but I do not know whether this is the case.
 
Re: India sounds bird flu alert after chicken deaths; H5N1 confirmed

Re: India sounds bird flu alert after chicken deaths; H5N1 confirmed

Bird flu in West Bengal spreads to 6th district</ARTTITLE>
20 Jan 2008, 2204 hrs IST
spacer.gif
,
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PTI
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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 5px" colSpan=2></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left><!--google_ad_region_start=article-->KOLKATA/NEW DELHI: Bird flu in West Bengal spread to a sixth district Bankura and poultry deaths were reported on Sunday from new areas of the state including in northern districts of Darjeeling and Cooch Behar.

The culling of birds in the five affected districts of Birbhum, South Dinajpur, Mushidabad, Nadia and Burdwan were also stepped up.

Officials said in Kolkata that till yesterday more than 122,000 birds were culled though it fell far short of the targetted four lakh figure.

The Centre has also sent a team to neighbouring Jharkhand and Bihar to monitor the ground situation there. Teams will be also sent to Mumbai and North Eastern states. "As per the report of HSADL, Bhopal, the sample from Bankura has also tested positive. Further more samples from Nadia, Birbhum and Mushidabad districts have also tested positive," the Union Animal Husbandry Department said.

A total of 98,254 poultry mortality has been reported from Birbhum, South Dinajpur, Mushidabad, Nadia, South 24 Parganas, Burdwan and Bankura districts of West Bengal. The Centre said that more samples have been sent to the HSADL, Bhopal, from Howrah, South 24 Parganas, Hooghly, Kolkata, Burdwan, Malda and West Midnapore.

Reports of avian deaths have been reported from far-flung areas in Darjeeling and Cooch Behar triggering panic. Visiting Union minister of state for Health Panabaka Lakshmi, who yesterday said the Centre was not happy with the steps taken by West Bengal government, today expressed her displeasure at the lack of infrastructure of an isolation ward at Bolpur sub divisional hospital.

In relief for the government, officials said none of the 1.94 lakh people screened in the affected districts were affected by the bird flu. Amid public resistance to culling operations in some areas, personnel involved were demanding police protection. :tiphat: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...reads_to_6th_district/articleshow/2716031.cms:yinyang:

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Thats alotta people to check in less than a week?They have to send bird samples to Bhopal and half of them are still negative.
 
Re: India sounds bird flu alert after chicken deaths; H5N1 confirmed

Re: India sounds bird flu alert after chicken deaths; H5N1 confirmed

When H5N1 is endemic in an environment there are increased chances for E2H and B2H transmission. We have seen this occur in other countries.
 
Re: India sounds bird flu alert after chicken deaths; H5N1 confirmed

Re: India sounds bird flu alert after chicken deaths; H5N1 confirmed

No drugs to tackle disease

Statesman News Service

MARGRAM, Jan. 20: While cases of bird flu have been reported at primary health centres in Margram, it has no Tamiflu medicine to offer thanks to the district administration which is yet to pass a budget to pay the surveyors.

These surveyors who have been working since 16 January have not been paid their daily wages following which they refused to work today.

Around 150 people were appointed by the district administration to conduct door-to-door survey to find out bird flu symptoms. But as the surveyors have not been paid their dues from the last four days, many of them chose to stay back at the BDO office today.

The surveyors were promised Rs 120 daily. However, later the wage was dropped and finalised at Rs 60 but even then payments were not made.
For instance, at the bird flu affected Rampurhat block - II (under which Margram falls), a budget of around Rs 2.54 lakh for a 10-day survey had been estimated but the district administration is yet to sanction the funds.

The budget includes ~ Rs 50 per head honorarium for health workers, Rs 200 for monitoring staff, sim card for cell phones of monitoring staff and expenditures for holding awareness programmes, among others.

?We have not been paid from the past four days. The doctors told us that we will be paid Rs 120 daily. Then they said we will be given only Rs 50 daily. But we have not received a single penny. As a protest, many of us did not go to work today. We have reported our complaint to the CMOH," said Kaji Ziauddin, of Mahipara village in Margram.

About 120 people visit the outward patient department (OPD) at the Margram primary health centre, of which about 80 are cases of fever. At Bosua block primary health centre, 220 people visit OPD daily, of which 170 are cases of fever. However, both of these government-run health centres located at Rampurhat block II under Margram.

http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=2&theme=&usrsess=1&id=186810
 
Re: India sounds bird flu alert after chicken deaths; H5N1 confirmed

Re: India sounds bird flu alert after chicken deaths; H5N1 confirmed

:tiphat:Sand

Tamil Nadu - Vellore

CPI(M) plea for campaign to remove panic about ?mysterious fever?

Special Correspondent

VELLORE: The Vellore district unit of the Communist Party of India (Marxists) has urged the district administration and the Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine to conduct an awareness campaign in the Sholinghur area to remove panic among the public after the hospitalisation of some persons in rural areas due to a ?mysterious fever.?

The Vellore district CPI (M) secretary, A. Narayanan, said in a statement that enquiries made by a party team led by Vinod Raj, secretary of the Walajapet taluk unit of CPI (M) in the affected villages revealed that the public had panicked over the onset of ?mysterious fever? in Mottur and Pandianallur near Sholinghur.

A 7-year-old child had been admitted in the Christian Medical College Hospital, Vellore, while a 4-year-old child and a 13-year-old child were admitted in the Government Hospital, Sholinghur with symptoms of fever.

The party wanted the district administration and the health department to carry on a campaign to create awareness among the people of the fever. It also wanted the district administration and the animal husbandry department to inspect meat stalls and find out if the meat sold there were safe for consumption.:tiphat: http://www.hindu.com/2008/01/21/stories/2008012150660300.htm
 
Re: India sounds bird flu alert after chicken deaths; H5N1 confirmed

Re: India sounds bird flu alert after chicken deaths; H5N1 confirmed

tn_States%20of%20India.jpg


Update

As a precautionary measure, the Central Government has increased surveillance in other states: Jharkhand, Orissa, Bihar and the north-eastern States.

Also some unclear reports from Tamil Nadu and Jind (Haryana State) and also Mumbai City.

Bird Flu Outbreaks in Districts of West Bengal

Confirmed bird flu

Not only more districts are hit bird flu, the virus is also spreading to more regions inside the several districts themselves. The regions are called "blocks".

# 5 South / Dakshin Dinajpur

# 7 Birbhum

# 8 Murshidabad

# 9 Bardhaman / Burdwan

# 10 Nadia

# 12 Bankura

west%20bengal%20districts.png wbdistri.gif

Unconfirmed reports

# 1 Darjeeling

# 6 Maldah

# 11 Purulia

# 13 Hooghly

# 14 North 24 Parganas

# 15 Paschim Mednipur

# 16 Howrah

# 17 Kolkata / Calcutta Metropolis (crows and other wild bird deaths and poultry)

# 18 South / Purba 24-Parganas

# 19 South / Purba Mednipur


Reported Negative

# 3 Cooch Behar

# 11 Purulia

# 13 Hooghly

# 18 South / Purba 24-Parganas


Several districts are mentioned more than once, this reflects the reporting.

The news is rather chaotic; situation can change any day, any hour; corrections are welcome.
 
Re: India sounds bird flu alert after chicken deaths; H5N1 confirmed

Re: India sounds bird flu alert after chicken deaths; H5N1 confirmed

No telling what this mysterious fever might be. Sholinghur is a long way off from West Bengal. It is located on the S.E. coast of India, above Sri Lanka. My first thought would be Chik.


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Re: India sounds bird flu alert after chicken deaths; H5N1 confirmed

Re: India sounds bird flu alert after chicken deaths; H5N1 confirmed

<TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=3 width="90%" align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>hattip:tiphat: Aurora</TD></TR><TR><TD class=quote>Culling teams refuse to work, demand security
Coochbehar, Howrah also affected

Subhrangshu Gupta
Tribune News Service

Kolkata, January 20
The culling operation in the bird flu-infected districts of Birbhum and Nadia today suffered a setback following the refusal by the government-recruited veterinary doctors to undertake the drive in the wake of yesterday?s attack on them at Nalhati and Rampurhat in the worst-hit Birbhum district.

As a result, today?s target of culling 50,000 infested birds and chickens could not be completed. State government officials accompanying union minister of state for health Panabaka Lakshmi told her during her visit to Tagore?s Santinektan about today?s progress in the culling drive. [snip]

According to official sources, of the five volunteers and one doctor, who were hospitalised after yesterday?s attack, the condition of the two was stated to be critical. However, the others were released after first aid. [snip]

State animal husbandry minister Anisur Rahman, however, denied that the culling operation suffered any major setback today. However, he admitted the doctors and volunteers engaged in the drive were demanding safety and security after yesterday?s incident. Initially, they declined to undertake the operation, but later with the police escort they conducted the drive in some areas.

He said from tomorrow a special culling drive would be launched in all affected districts by different groups for completing the culling of the targeted five lakh infected birds and chickens within the next seven days.

Some more areas in several districts, both in south and north Bengal, had fallen under the bird flu attack and the gradual spreading of the virus day by day to new areas was worrying the government. So far, the bird flu had been detected in Nadia, Murshidabad, Birbhum, Burdwan and South Dinajpur. But, today, several areas in the remote border district of Cochbehar and the industrial town of Howrah were reported to be in the grip of bird flu.

Though there was no report of the bid flu outbreak in Kolkata, the carcass of several suspected bird flu victims, including kites and seasonal birds, had been detected in an open field in the Sunderbans in south 24-parganas. :tiphat:

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20080121/main5.htm</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
 
Re: India sounds bird flu alert after chicken deaths; H5N1 confirmed

Re: India sounds bird flu alert after chicken deaths; H5N1 confirmed

Alert sounded against bird flu


Staff Reporter







KOCHI: The health authorities have sounded an alert against bird flu in the district. This was part of the discussion during a meeting held by the District Health Office recently with regard to implementing an action plan of the government to control epidemic fevers this year.
The authorities asked the medical officers at various places to report any incident of avian death that may be alarming.
Even though bird flu cases were not being reported here or in the neighbouring States, the scare of the flu that reported a couple of years ago had made the authorities take precaution.
Meetings regarding controlling epidemic fevers would be held at the block public health centre level and at taluk hospitals. The District Collector would be reviewing the action plan regarding the fever control programme at a meeting on Tuesday.:tiphat: http://www.hindu.com/2008/01/21/stories/2008012157860300.htm
 
Re: India sounds bird flu alert after chicken deaths; H5N1 confirmed

Re: India sounds bird flu alert after chicken deaths; H5N1 confirmed

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=429 align=justify border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=ld>Bird flu spreads in affected districts </TD></TR><TR><TD height=15></TD></TR><TR><TD class=kicker>Kolkata, Jan 20: Bird flu spread in more blocks in the affected districts of West Bengal as Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Panabaka Lakshmi said that there should be no loopholes in the arrangements to tackle further spread of the disease.

Lakshmi, on a visit to Birbhum district where six blocks and two municipal areas have been notified as hit by avian flu, today met Health and Animal Resources Development (ARD) officials at Santiniketan and promised all possible help by the centre to contain spreading of the disease.

However, she expressed her displeasure at the lack of infrastructure of an isolation ward of Bolpur sub-divisional hospital, which has been set up to deal with emergencies.

The point was repeatedly referred to during her meeting with senior officials.

The minister had said here yesterday that the centre was not satisfied with the steps being taken by the West Bengal government to contain the disease.

Meanwhile, with mounting public resistance to culling operations in the district, the teams engaged in the job have demanded police protection.

District officials said they were trying to arrange for some security, although no police escorts accompanied the culling teams today. Locals had beaten up four members of a culling team at Nalhati yesterday.

Meanwhile, bird flu deaths spread to three new blocks in Murshidabad district and four blocks in Burdwan district, taking the total number of affected blocks to seven. :tiphat:

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=419413&sid=REG
 
Re: India sounds bird flu alert after chicken deaths; H5N1 confirmed

Re: India sounds bird flu alert after chicken deaths; H5N1 confirmed

Suspect H5N1 Patients in Isolation in Bolpur West Bengal India

Recombinomics Commentary 20:08
January 20, 2008

Talking to UNI after paying a surprise visit to the Bolpur Sub-Divisional Hospital and Primary Health Centre, she said, ''Despite the Centre extending all possible cooperation in tackling the situation as well as providing masks, ventilators and other necessary equipment to contain Avian Influenza, the state government has failed to handle the alarming crisis created by the outbreak of bird flu.'' Ms Lakshmi alleged that the condition of the isolated wards in which the affected patients were being treated and which she had personally overseen, was 'abject'.

''There are no proper beds and other essential equipment and they are also found wanting in hygiene and safety precautions,'' she said.

The above comments suggest suspect H5N1 patients are in isolation in Bolpur (see satellite map). Earlier reports had indicated that none of the 700 patients in Birbhum with respiratory problems were bird flu patients because they had no contact with birds and did not have lower respiratory tract infections.

However, the dramatic spread of H5N1 in Birbhum suggests many of the 700 patients had H5N1 exposure through wild or domestic birds. Moreover, H5N1 infections do not always lead to lower respiratory conditions.

There have very few reports of suspect cases in West Bengal, even though villagers were eating birds that had died, and were handling dead birds without PPEs.

More detail on the number and condition of suspect H5N1 patients in isolation would be useful.
:tiphat:
http://www.recombinomics.com/News/01200807/H5N1_Bolpur_Isolation.html
 
Re: India sounds bird flu alert after chicken deaths; H5N1 confirmed

Re: India sounds bird flu alert after chicken deaths; H5N1 confirmed

Statesman News Service
RAMPURHAT, Jan. 20: Culling of chickens in the Bird flu-hit areas in Birbhum was affected today after the authorities had decided to stop culling in Margram on the day of Muharram following requests from villagers. This apart, culling could not be started in Nalhati municipality as the ARD officials stopped culling demanding security following last night?s incident when four members of a rapid response team were beaten up by villagers. Twelve persons were arrested today in this connection.
Although ARD minister, Mr Anisur Rahman, had claimed yesterday that 300 teams would carry out culling from today, only 64 teams continued culling in 59 villages of six affected blocks, today.
However, the slow process of culling apparently allowed the H5N1 virus to spread to new areas. According to reports, nearly 500 chickens died in a poultry in Joydev in Illambazar block. Mr Manasa Hansda, sabhadhipati, Birbhum Zilla Parishad, admitted that the slow progress of culling might help the virus to spread in new areas.
He said that till now, 68,000 chickens have been culled in the district where as nearly 4 lakh chickens are yet to be culled. He also said they were trying to bring in more people to speed up the culling process. ?We hope the process will get the required momentum as more officials will be engaged in the culling process soon.?
However, the culling process received a blow in several places as villagers continued to resist the process owing to their ignorance of the deadly consequences of the H5N1 virus.
Meanwhile, the Union health ministry informed that 22 surveillance teams (each comprising five members) are conducting active surveillance in 0.3 KM radius of the Bird flu-affected areas in the district. This apart, 14 teams in 3-10 km radius zone are currently involved in the process. The surveillance teams are covering a population of 24,406 on daily basis in 0-3 Km radius.
In 3-10 km radius area they have covered a population of 10,317 on 18.1.2008. The cumulative population covered in this zone is 30,639 while the total population in this zone is 1,51,348.
A total of 304 fever cases were detected in 0-10 km. radius of the affected area. However, no suspected human cases of Avian Influenza has been detected till date.

http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=2&theme=&usrsess=1&id=186805
 
Re: India sounds bird flu alert after chicken deaths; H5N1 confirmed

Re: India sounds bird flu alert after chicken deaths; H5N1 confirmed

Now, a fabric that can ?block? bird flu
New Delhi, January 20, 2008


First Published: 23:36 IST(20/1/2008)
Last Updated: 23:58 IST(20/1/2008)


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<!--End of top module--><!--Start of the story-->Here?s one IIT alumni who like many others couldn?t stay in some foreign country earning dollars. He is coming back to his country to share his knowledge. The knowledge on offer is a product ? a high-end medical fabric which can ?block bird flu?.
Precisely in recognition of his achievement, polymer scientist Rahul Dharmadhikary has been given IIT Delhi?s Pride Award. Says vice president of IIT Delhi?s Textile Engineering Society Dr R Alagirusamy, ?When we give the ?Pride of the Department Award? to an alumni, what we look forward to is his contribution to the Indian society. What Rahul is doing is bringing a technology, that he has been instrumental in evolving, back to India.?
Dharmadhikary?s parent company Ahlstrom is in the process of investing in Mundra SEZ with a plant, which will use spunbound-meltblown-spunbound (SMS) fabric that will be of used for making disposable drapes and gown.
Calling it a first of its kind plant in the country, Dr Alagirusamy says, ?Presently, all such fabric is imported. This product will definitely benefit Indian market in the health segment.?
Dharmadhikary, who completed his B.Tech in 1989, says, ?We are planning to start production by end of 2009 using SMS fabric. This provides much higher protection than the current linen products.? The company also has high-end fabric fabrics, which are complete viral barrier products breathable viral barrier (BVB) and are used for protection against not just bird flu but even HIV and Hepatitis. ?These fabrics are made in the USA but are now being brought to India,? he adds.
The company claims drapes and gowns prepared with this virus-proof non-woven fabric will prove a potent weapon to protect doctors and para-medics from pandemics like bird flu or even while handling HIV positive patients.
But then, how will India benefit with this? Pat comes the reply, ?We expect 20 per cent of products to be sold in India. A large converting industry will develop because of fabric availability, which will in turn employ many others. Currently, almost all the converting is done in China.?:tiphat: http://www.hindustantimes.com/Story...l&&Headline=Now,+a+fabric+to+‘block’+bird+flu
 
Re: India sounds bird flu alert after chicken deaths; H5N1 confirmed

Re: India sounds bird flu alert after chicken deaths; H5N1 confirmed

Migratory bird dies at Santragachi Jheel

Express news service
Posted online: Monday, January 21, 2008 at 0031 hrs IST
Kolkata, January 20
The death of a migratory bird at the Santragachi Jheel created panic among the locals on Sunday.
Forest department officials, who are on alert after the recent bird flu outbreak in Birbhum and other districts of the state, reached the spot to collect samples from the dead bird.
The samples have been sent to the Howrah District Veterinary Hospital for examination.
?It is an isolated case. We are taking all necessary precautions and are waiting for the test results. There is no reason for alarm,? said Sanjib Chakrabarty, DFO (Howrah), state Forest Department.
Moreover, the department officials have set up a monitoring cell to keep a tab on any unnatural deaths of birds, especially the migratory ones.
The bird has been identified as the Lesser Whistling Teal, popularly known as Sharal.
Tucked away in the peaceful interiors of Santragachi, the lake has become a safe haven for thousands of migratory birds.
About 5,000 migratory birds, both from within the country and Trans-Himalayan birds, congregate at the lake every year.
The Lesser Whistling Teal is the most dominant species having a yellowish brown body and bright grey feathers.

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