Diane Morin
Moderator
Re: India - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 24+
Fresh poultry deaths reported as WB says situation improving
Kolkata/New Delhi, February 1: In contrast to West Bengal government's claim that there was no fresh birdflu case in the state, nearly 300 chicken were reported to have died in Jalpaiguri, raising fears that it might become the 14th district to be hit by the deadly virus.
The chicken were reported dead at Baganbari village in Falakata area, panchayat samity president Lily Chakraborty said. An FIR was lodged and samples from the poultry sent for testing.
In Darjeeling where chicken deaths were reported from Takdah village on Thursday, the samples study was still awaited though no culling was being carried out.
State Animal Resources Development Minister Anisur Rahaman said no fresh birdflu infection was reported from the state where "the situation is under control and improving".
He also admitted there were lapses in quarantining culling teams. "Noting the initial lapses, directives have been issued that culling team members must be quarantined for
seven days to prevent contracting the H5N1 virus," Rahaman told.
However, he allayed fears of any human infection. On the other hand, the Centre said it was considering to undertake culling operations in neighbouring states of West Bengal to prevent the spread of the virus.
"The culling would be undertaken within a protective ring which will be formed up to 5 km of the places which have been affected by the virus," a senior official in the Health
Ministry said in New Delhi.
The Central Zoo Authority on Friday alerted all zoos across the country to check the spread of the virus.
Zoo officials have been asked to provide disposal gloves, masks, caps and other accessories to animal keepers working at various enclosures particularly birds.
There was also a birdflu scare in Meghalaya following reported death of migratory birds in Manipur, prompting authorities to step up vigil across the state to monitor the movement of birds.
Some school children were suffering from fever in Howrah, Birbhum and Murshidabad districts of West Bengal after reportedly eating boiled eggs and chicken curry in midday
meals, the state Congress said.
Meanwhile, culling operations continued in most of the 13 affected districts.
In worst-affected Birbhum, culling took place at Rajapukur, a new area to be affected, as well as in Suri municipal area. The culling figure in the district was the highest at over 9.6 lakh while that in the state was on Thursday revised to 28 lakh.
In Murshidabad district, culling was on at Lokhijola in Raghunathgunj II block, where fresh outbreak of bird flu was reported on Thursday. District authorities said 16,000 chicken was slated to be destroyed there till today.
Culling also on in South 24 Parganas and Coochbehar districts. Central observer Bijoy Kumar visited affected Kuchlibari in Coochbehar to oversee the operations. He also visited Chengrabandha international checkpost and inspected disinfection of vehicles entering the country from Bangladesh.
Culling operations have already been completed in Purulia, West Midnapore, Howrah and South Dinajpur. Preventive culling was carried out at North Dinajpur district. At Nadia and Malda districts culling operations are slated to be completed on Friday.
http://68.178.224.54/udayavani/showstory.asp?news=0&contentid=494040&lang=1
Fresh poultry deaths reported as WB says situation improving
Kolkata/New Delhi, February 1: In contrast to West Bengal government's claim that there was no fresh birdflu case in the state, nearly 300 chicken were reported to have died in Jalpaiguri, raising fears that it might become the 14th district to be hit by the deadly virus.
The chicken were reported dead at Baganbari village in Falakata area, panchayat samity president Lily Chakraborty said. An FIR was lodged and samples from the poultry sent for testing.
In Darjeeling where chicken deaths were reported from Takdah village on Thursday, the samples study was still awaited though no culling was being carried out.
State Animal Resources Development Minister Anisur Rahaman said no fresh birdflu infection was reported from the state where "the situation is under control and improving".
He also admitted there were lapses in quarantining culling teams. "Noting the initial lapses, directives have been issued that culling team members must be quarantined for
seven days to prevent contracting the H5N1 virus," Rahaman told.
However, he allayed fears of any human infection. On the other hand, the Centre said it was considering to undertake culling operations in neighbouring states of West Bengal to prevent the spread of the virus.
"The culling would be undertaken within a protective ring which will be formed up to 5 km of the places which have been affected by the virus," a senior official in the Health
Ministry said in New Delhi.
The Central Zoo Authority on Friday alerted all zoos across the country to check the spread of the virus.
Zoo officials have been asked to provide disposal gloves, masks, caps and other accessories to animal keepers working at various enclosures particularly birds.
There was also a birdflu scare in Meghalaya following reported death of migratory birds in Manipur, prompting authorities to step up vigil across the state to monitor the movement of birds.
Some school children were suffering from fever in Howrah, Birbhum and Murshidabad districts of West Bengal after reportedly eating boiled eggs and chicken curry in midday
meals, the state Congress said.
Meanwhile, culling operations continued in most of the 13 affected districts.
In worst-affected Birbhum, culling took place at Rajapukur, a new area to be affected, as well as in Suri municipal area. The culling figure in the district was the highest at over 9.6 lakh while that in the state was on Thursday revised to 28 lakh.
In Murshidabad district, culling was on at Lokhijola in Raghunathgunj II block, where fresh outbreak of bird flu was reported on Thursday. District authorities said 16,000 chicken was slated to be destroyed there till today.
Culling also on in South 24 Parganas and Coochbehar districts. Central observer Bijoy Kumar visited affected Kuchlibari in Coochbehar to oversee the operations. He also visited Chengrabandha international checkpost and inspected disinfection of vehicles entering the country from Bangladesh.
Culling operations have already been completed in Purulia, West Midnapore, Howrah and South Dinajpur. Preventive culling was carried out at North Dinajpur district. At Nadia and Malda districts culling operations are slated to be completed on Friday.
http://68.178.224.54/udayavani/showstory.asp?news=0&contentid=494040&lang=1
