Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.greaterkashmir.com/full_story.asp?Date=31_5_2008&ItemID=15&cat=21
BIRD FLU: More lethal than 10 Hydrogen bombs: Thusoo
68 vets and para vets trained in control, containment ops
GK NEWS NETWORK
Mattan May 29: Avian Influenza, another name for bird flu is fundamentally a disease of birds caused by a variety of strains of influenza viruses that have adapted to a specific host, particularly in water fowl. The H5N1 strain of influenza - often referred to as bird flu - is first known to have jumped from chickens to humans in 1997. Since 2004 it has ripped through poultry and wild bird populations across Eurasia, and had a 53% mortality rate in the first 147 people it is known to have infected. Health authorities fear this strain, or its descendent, could cause a lethal new flu pandemic in people with the potential to kill billions after the virus responsible for causing the disease jumped the specie-barrier to infect humans. Experts fear the nature of the disease could be more lethal than ten hydrogen bombs after causing a pandemic. Of the 382 human cases reported so far the world over, 241 have been devoured by the deadly disease. The worrying factor that has sounded alarm bells in the international organizations, such as, World Health Organisation (WHO), Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) and Office International des ?pizooties (OIE)?a world organisation for animal health-- is the continuous mutations the virus has been undergoing through antigenic shift and drift. ?Given the potential of the disease to affect several species of animals and man, it has become necessary for the veterinary and medical scientists to keep a constant vigil over the disease to prevent a pandemic,? said Ravi Thusoo, Secretary to Government, Animal Husbandry Department. Thusoo was addressing the valedictory function of the World Bank sponsored advanced training for veterinary workforce of district Islamabad in the control and containment of Avian Influenza. ?The dreaded disease is to be tackled like a disaster and therefore we need to be prepared to meet any eventuality.?
Earlier on Tuesday, Dr Bhupinder Singh Director, Animal Husbandry, Kashmir formally launched the training programme in which 68 vets and Para vets participated. Master trainers of the programme included Dr A A Baba, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Kashmir Livestock Development Board (KLDB), Dr A M Reshi, Chief Animal Husbandry Officer (CAHO), Islamabad and Dr F A Kaloo, Dy Director, Animal Husbandry.
The participants were imparted trainings in surveillance operations, stamping out of the disease in infected flocks including organized farms and backyard poultry system, disinfection of farm houses, feed godowns, marketplaces etc. They were also trained in mass vaccination operations in surveillance zones in the eventualities like outbreak of the disease. Emphasis was laid on the collection of sera samples, morbid materials, donning of special dresses in culling operations, disposing off infected materials, disinfection of equipments etc
?We have taken several steps like developing an early warning mechanism through continuous surveillance and monitoring of resident bird populations, imported poultry and vigil on wetlands visited by migratory birds,? Singh said. ?Against a target of 2000 samples per year, the department has sent 3979 samples to the Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (RDDL), Jallandhar and the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory (HSADL), Bhopal during the year 2007-08. These also included samples from the migratory birds.?
He said in order to generate awareness regarding Bird Flu, 64 awareness camps were organised at the district and block levels during the past two years. Of these, 22 such camps were held at block level since the outbreak of bird flu in West Bengal. Around 70 vets were trained as master trainers to further train the veterinary work force, he informed.
Note: There is an audio link on the original page
BIRD FLU: More lethal than 10 Hydrogen bombs: Thusoo
68 vets and para vets trained in control, containment ops
GK NEWS NETWORK
Mattan May 29: Avian Influenza, another name for bird flu is fundamentally a disease of birds caused by a variety of strains of influenza viruses that have adapted to a specific host, particularly in water fowl. The H5N1 strain of influenza - often referred to as bird flu - is first known to have jumped from chickens to humans in 1997. Since 2004 it has ripped through poultry and wild bird populations across Eurasia, and had a 53% mortality rate in the first 147 people it is known to have infected. Health authorities fear this strain, or its descendent, could cause a lethal new flu pandemic in people with the potential to kill billions after the virus responsible for causing the disease jumped the specie-barrier to infect humans. Experts fear the nature of the disease could be more lethal than ten hydrogen bombs after causing a pandemic. Of the 382 human cases reported so far the world over, 241 have been devoured by the deadly disease. The worrying factor that has sounded alarm bells in the international organizations, such as, World Health Organisation (WHO), Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) and Office International des ?pizooties (OIE)?a world organisation for animal health-- is the continuous mutations the virus has been undergoing through antigenic shift and drift. ?Given the potential of the disease to affect several species of animals and man, it has become necessary for the veterinary and medical scientists to keep a constant vigil over the disease to prevent a pandemic,? said Ravi Thusoo, Secretary to Government, Animal Husbandry Department. Thusoo was addressing the valedictory function of the World Bank sponsored advanced training for veterinary workforce of district Islamabad in the control and containment of Avian Influenza. ?The dreaded disease is to be tackled like a disaster and therefore we need to be prepared to meet any eventuality.?
Earlier on Tuesday, Dr Bhupinder Singh Director, Animal Husbandry, Kashmir formally launched the training programme in which 68 vets and Para vets participated. Master trainers of the programme included Dr A A Baba, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Kashmir Livestock Development Board (KLDB), Dr A M Reshi, Chief Animal Husbandry Officer (CAHO), Islamabad and Dr F A Kaloo, Dy Director, Animal Husbandry.
The participants were imparted trainings in surveillance operations, stamping out of the disease in infected flocks including organized farms and backyard poultry system, disinfection of farm houses, feed godowns, marketplaces etc. They were also trained in mass vaccination operations in surveillance zones in the eventualities like outbreak of the disease. Emphasis was laid on the collection of sera samples, morbid materials, donning of special dresses in culling operations, disposing off infected materials, disinfection of equipments etc
?We have taken several steps like developing an early warning mechanism through continuous surveillance and monitoring of resident bird populations, imported poultry and vigil on wetlands visited by migratory birds,? Singh said. ?Against a target of 2000 samples per year, the department has sent 3979 samples to the Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (RDDL), Jallandhar and the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory (HSADL), Bhopal during the year 2007-08. These also included samples from the migratory birds.?
He said in order to generate awareness regarding Bird Flu, 64 awareness camps were organised at the district and block levels during the past two years. Of these, 22 such camps were held at block level since the outbreak of bird flu in West Bengal. Around 70 vets were trained as master trainers to further train the veterinary work force, he informed.
Note: There is an audio link on the original page