India: bird flu in poultry suspected / confirmed

[HenryN]

Re: India: bird flu in chickens suspected / confirmed

Bird flu outbreak reported in Manipur



New Delhi, July 25 : The Manipur government today reported an outbreak of Avian Influenza in Chingmeirong village in East Imphal District of the state.

According to the Manipur's Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, 21 family members in a cluster of three houses and nine veterinary staff are under observation.

Reports said that 133 [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]chickens[/COLOR][/COLOR] had suddenly died early this month where the outbreak has taken place.

'Their health status is being monitored and all are healthy. No residents in neighbourhood are suffering from influenza like illness,' said a Union Health Ministry release, adding that the Central Rapid response team of the Ministry has been deputed to review and firm up preparedness measures.

For the active human surveillance, 20 medical teams have been constituted, each team having one medical officer, three supervisory staff, 30 health workers. One health worker would cover 100 households doing house-to-house search for influenza like illness.

A team of 20 doctors would monitor the health status of cullers who would be on oseltamivir chemoprophylaxis.

Meanwhile, an isolation ward has been set up in the Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital, Imphal to manage suspected human cases of the disease.

Five thousand capsules of Oseltamivir, 2000 sets of personal protective equipments, 1000 sets of N-95 masks and two ventilators have been airlifted to Imphal, the release said.

Confirmed cases of human infection from several subtypes of avian influenza have been reported since 1997. In most cases, human infection resulted from contact with infected poultry, like domesticated chicken, ducks, and turkeys, or surfaces contaminated with secretion/excretions from [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]infected [COLOR=blue! important]birds[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR]. The spread from one ill person to another is very rare.

Last year, in India, tens of thousands of chickens died from [COLOR=blue! important][COLOR=blue! important]bird [COLOR=blue! important]flu[/COLOR][/COLOR][/COLOR]. Health and poultry industry inspectors reportedly slaughtered 500,000 birds in a 1.5-mile radius around poultry farms in the town of Navapur, a small town roughly 200 miles north-northeast of Mumbai, where the confirmed cases were detected.

'Human influenza virus' are those subtypes that spread widely among humans. There are only three known A subtypes of influenza viruses (H1N1, H1N2, and H3N2).

Symptoms vary from typical human influenza-like symptoms (e.g., fever, cough, sore throat, and muscle aches) to eye infections, pneumonia, severe respiratory diseases (such as acute respiratory distress).

Antiviral drugs like Tamiflu and Relenza block the flu virus from escaping an infected cell and spreading further. But the drugs have to be taken within 48 hours of getting the flu.
<!-- google_ad_section_end -->--- ANI

http://www.newkerala.com/july.php?action=fullnews&id=49026

[HenryN]

Re: India: bird flu in chickens suspected / confirmed

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=NewsDetailsTitle>Outbreak of birdflu reported in Northeastern Indian state of Manipur </TD></TR><TR><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD class=NewsDetailsCategory>Health 7/25/2007 8:23:00 PM</TD></TR><TR><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD class=ArticleDetails><TABLE class=ImageFloat cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=left><TBODY><TR><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD class=pictureCaption id=tdCaption align=middle width=180></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>NEW DELHI, July 25 (KUNA) -- There has been an outbreak of bird flu in India's Northeastern state of Manipur. As many as 132 chickens died early July at a poultry farm in village Chenngmeirong in Manipur and the authorities had send samples to laboratories in Bhopal (Central India) and Pune (Western India) for tests.
"The samples were forwarded to the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory in Bhopal, and the National Institute of Virology, Pune, for testing. The samples are positive for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) (H5)," Indian Agriculture Ministry said in a statement in Delhi Wednesday evening.
"The disease appears to be very localised and limited presently to one unit in a state. There is no other report of unusual mortality or sickness in the neighbouring area, the districts of east and west Imphal, the entire state of Manipur and any other place in the northeast," the statement said.
"Initial supplies of personal protective equipment have been rushed to Manipur. A team from Delhi has been deputed to Manipur," the Agriculture Ministry said.
The Ministry also ordered for culling of all poultry within a five-km radius and surveillance in a further radius of five to ten km of the affected poultry firm in Manipur.
The Manipur government has also sounded an alert. It has formed a Rapid Response Team to deal with the outbreak of the bird flu.
"A general alert has been sounded across the state after the Indian Health and Animal Husbandry departments confirmed that tests carried out on chickens that died at a small poultry farm in the state have tested positive for bird flu," a government official told news agency Indo-Asian News Service at Manipur's capital Imphal today. (end) dr.tg KUNA 252023 Jul 07NNNN </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

http://www.kuna.net.kw/NewsAgenciesPublicSite/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=1830267&Language=en

[HenryN]

Re: India: bird flu in chickens suspected / confirmed

Bird flu returns to India, hits Manipur



New Delhi/Imphal, July 25: The feared bird flu made a return to India as authorities confirmed the outbreak of the viral disease in the northeastern state of Manipur. Authorities said they were taking steps to halt its spread.

As many as 132 chickens died earlier this month at a poultry farm in village Chenngmeirong near Manipur capital Imphal, prompting authorities to send samples to laboratories in Bhopal and Pune for tests.

"The samples were forwarded to the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory (HSADL), Bhopal, and the National Institute of Virology, Pune, for testing. The samples are positive for 'highly pathogenic avian influenza' (HPAI) (H5)," the agriculture ministry said.

The bird flu was first detected in February 2006 in parts of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, but the situation was soon brought under control as authorities culled tens of thousands of chicken.

"The disease appears to be very localised and limited presently to one unit in a state. There is no other report of unusual mortality or sickness in the neighbouring area, the districts of east and west Imphal, the entire state of Manipur and any other place in the northeast," the ministry said in a statement.

Earlier in the day, the Manipur government sounded an alert.

"A general alert has been sounded across the state after the Indian health and animal husbandry departments confirmed that tests carried out on chickens that died at a small poultry farm here have tested positive for bird flu," Bimal Singh, an official at the Manipur chief minister's office, told IANS in Imphal.

As a matter of abundant precaution, the remaining birds on the infected unit were killed and the unit was fully disinfected and sanitized. Prophylactic cover was also provided by the health ministry to those exposed to infected poultry including family members and veterinary workforce.

"Initial supplies of personal protective equipment have been rushed to Manipur. A central team of animal husbandry and public health was also deputed to Manipur," said an official from the agriculture ministry in New Delhi.

"Control and containment operations will now be initiated around the infected premises in the affected village in Manipur. These comprise of killing of birds, disposal of birds and infected materials, quarantine and restrictions in the operational area, clean up and sanitization followed by post-operation surveillance in and around Chingmeirong village," he added.

The ministry also ordered for culling of all poultry within a 5-km radius and surveillance in a further radius of 5 to 10 km.

The Manipur government formed a Rapid Response Team to deal with the outbreak.

"A high level meeting involving health, veterinary and other officials is currently on to work out strategies to combat bird flu spreading to new areas," Bimal Singh said.

There has been no reported case of bird flu in other states of the northeast, but the spread of the virus in Manipur has led to panic in the region.

"People have already stopped eating chicken or even eggs," said Mani Singh, a businessman in Imphal.



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http://www.newkerala.com/july.php?action=fullnews&id=49044

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: India: bird flu in chickens suspected / confirmed

Govt confirms bird flu outbreak in Manipur

26 Jul 2007,

NEW DELHI: The deadly bird flu virus H5N1 is back in India. The outbreak has been reported from Chingmeirong village of Eastern Imphal district in Manipur, two kms from capital Imphal, where 132 chickens out of 144 died over a period of six days starting July 7.

Pending test results, the remaining birds in the infected farm were culled and the unit was fully disinfected, Union government said. State government has started control and containment operations in rest of the area. Over 1.5 lakh birds and backyard poultry, from 120 small units within a five-km radius of the infected farm, will be culled in the next 10 days.

Over 20 people, who were handling the infected poultry before the birds died, have been quarantined and put under prophylactic cover. They, and six veterinary workers, have been administered Tamiflu, the most popular drug for treating bird flu. They have, however, not shown any respiratory distress so far.

132 chickens died within six days, when unusual mortality was reported on July 7, for the first time. By July 12, the state government informed the Union animal husbandry department. Samples were then picked up and sent for testing to Bhopal's High Security Animal Disease Laboratory where they tested positive for bird flu.

The health ministry has set up 40 medical teams of 34 members each in the state. From Friday, they will start house-to-house surveillance of people living within a three-km radius of the infected farm. Then, the radius will be increased to 10 km.

The Manipur government, which has sounded an alert in the state, has created a special 10-bed ward at JN Hospital in Imphal for patients with symptoms similar to avian influenza.

The ministry hopes to cover 80,000 households with a population of 4.5 lakh people. The team will check if anybody is showing symptoms like cough and cold. Two portable ventilators are being sent to Manipur as a precautionary measure.

India has been free of bird flu since August 2006 after two major outbreaks among chicken were recorded from Maharashtra and Gujarat in early 2006.

BSF has been ordered to stop people from bringing in poultry illegally from Bangladesh, China and Myanmar, which have recorded bird flu outbreaks this year. China has even recorded human infections and deaths of people by the virus. An official said, "The H5N1 virus must have travelled from Myanmar and Bangladesh where there has been a bird flu outbreak from early March."

Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar briefed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the outbreak on Wednesday.

"The affected farm is very small and there is no sign that the virus could have spread. That's why we are culling birds only in the five-km radius. All the farms within this area are equally small with just 200-250 birds in each unit," Upma Chawdhry, joint secretary in the Union animal husbandry department, told TOI

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Govt_confirms_bird_flu_outbreak_in_Manipur/articleshow/2234283.cms

[HenryN]

Re: India: bird flu in chickens suspected / confirmed

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=4 width="100&#37;" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=articleheader>Bird flu hits Manipur

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=articleauthor>OUR BUREAU</TD></TR><TR><TD class=story align=left>

Imphal/New Delhi, July 25: The Manipur government today announced an outbreak of bird flu in a small farm in Imphal East district, barely three months after the state set up a special cell to monitor the entry of poultry products from flu-hit neighbours Bangladesh and Myanmar.

“The spread of the H5 strain of avian influenza in a small poultry farm located at Chingmeirong in Imphal East district has been confirmed. Blood samples collected from the farm tested positive at the Animal Disease Laboratory, Bhopal and National Institute of Virology, Pune,” Th. Dorendro Singh, the director of the animal husbandry and veterinary department, said.
A senior animal husbandry scientist said tests on seven of eight dead birds have shown they were infected with an H5 strain of avian influenza. The other genetic fingerprint that defines the most deadly avian influenza — H5N1 — has yet to be confirmed, he added.
“But the mortality rate suggests a highly pathogenic virus,” said Shantanu Bandopadhyay, the animal husbandry commissioner.
Earlier this year, Indian officials had expressed concern that both Bangladesh and Myanmar have been fighting H5N1 outbreaks at a slow pace.
Chingmeirong is nearly 200km from both Myanmar and Bangladesh. “We can’t say anything about how it’s come there... we’ll need to work this out,” Bandopadhyay said.
Twenty-one residents of a cluster of three houses and veterinary staff who had come in contact with the birds in the affected farm have received Ostelamivir, a drug that is used as a “chemoprophylactic” to prevent the disease.
The veterinary department collected blood samples of chickens from the farm after 132 of the 144 chickens died within a span of four days earlier this month. The rest were culled and buried. However, Dorendro said the blood samples collected from other farms within a 5km radius of Chingmeirong tested negative. The disease is confined to only Chingmeirong farm, he said.
Before the announcement of the outbreak, chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh held a high-level meeting with officials of the health and veterinary department at his office to review the action plan to tackle the flu outbreak.
Dorendro said the culling of poultry within a 5km radius of the farm would start tomorrow. Twenty rapid response teams would be deployed to cull the birds. Medical teams will also begin a house-to-house search for influenza-like symptoms.

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070726/asp/nation/story_8107287.asp

[Treyfish]

Re: India: bird flu in chickens suspected / confirmed

Bird flu alert in Manipur after samples test positive


Meetu Jain / CNN-IBN


Published on Thursday , July 26, 2007 at 01:14 in Nation section






<!-- google_ad_section_start(name=newsbody, weight=.5) -->New Delhi: A high alert has been sounded in Manipur for bird flu after 130 samples tested positive for the H5N1 virus.

The bird flu outbreak in Manipur has been confirmed by the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory in Bhopal and the National Institute of Virology in Pune.

Experts have been asked to widen surveillance in the state after it was confirmed that 133 chickens out of 144 at a village in Imphal district died due to bird flu earlier this month.

This could be the third report of avian flu in the country and the first since April last year, when lakhs of birds were culled in Maharashtra.

Meanwhile, 21 people in Imphal are under surveillance for suspected bird flu. Further samples have collected from within the range of five kms from where the infected birds were discovered.However, these samples tested tested negative on Wednesday. http://www.ibnlive.com/news/bird-flu....html:yinyang: Does this imply they are thought to have BF or just taking tamiflu as a precaution?

[HenryN]

Re: India: bird flu in chickens suspected / confirmed

India confirms bird flu outbreak is H5N1 strain
Thu 26 Jul 2007 6:25:38 BST
(Recasts with confirmation, details)

NEW DELHI, July 26 (Reuters) - The Indian government confirmed on Thursday that the latest outbreak of bird flu in poultry in the remote northeast of the country was of the dangerous H5N1 strain.

"It has been confirmed as the H5N1 strain," Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Health Vineet Chawdhry told Reuters.

Hundreds of health workers will fan out in Manipur state to check on the health of some 450,000 people in and around the affected poultry farm in the village of Chingmeirong on the outskirts of Imphal, the state capital.

None of the people in the poultry unit or veterinary workers dealing with the outbreak are showing flu symptoms, but they have been put on the anti-flu drug Tamiflu just in case, Chawdhry said.

The confirmation of the H5N1 strain came after authorities received the results from two government laboratories.

India declared itself bird flu free last August after two major outbreaks of the H5N1 virus in chickens in western India. It culled around a million birds to contain those outbreaks.

It plans to slaughter some 150,000 poultry in a 5 km (3 mile) radius around the affected farm.

India has had no human case of bird flu.

Neighbouring Bangladesh, Myanmar and Pakistan have also witnessed outbreaks of the H5N1 strain of bird flu this year.

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/CrisesArticle.aspx?rpc=401&storyId=DEL330941

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: India: bird flu in chickens suspected / confirmed

Rain delays Manipur fowl culling

Guwahati, July 26, 2007

The Manipur government on Thursday began exterminating over 1.6 lakh fowls in a specified avian influenza-hit zone. Rain and medical check-up of the culling team delayed the exercise by over 10 hours.

According to Th Dorendro Singh, director of the State?s animal husbandry department, 19 teams comprising five members each fanned out to different poultry farms in the ?danger zone? around 3.30 pm. Other than the weather, ensuring immunity to the exterminators belated the start of the operation.

?There?s no feedback from the teams yet, but they have been told to do the job as fast as possible,? Singh said from State capital Imphal.

All fowls?farm as well as local varieties?targeted for slaughter are within a radius of 5 km from the affected farm in the Chingmeirong area in Imphal East district. They include some 5,000 birds at the State-run Central Poultry Farm in the city?s Mantripukhri area.

The decision to cull the fowls was taken on Wednesday after the Bhopal-based High Security Animal Disease Laboratory and the Pune-based National Institute of Virology confirmed bird flu as the reason behind the ?mystery deaths? of 132 chickens in Chingmeirong earlier this month.

A government spokesman said the culling order invited brief protests, but ?we convinced poultry farm owners about the impact bird flu can have on humans?. The government, he added, would be paying poultry owners within the sanitization zone at least Rs 60 lakh as compensation.

The government has also appealed to all hotels and restaurants to stop selling strike chicken off their menus for the time being. Many eateries have refused to oblige, mainly because of the yen for ?yen??Manipuri for chicken.

Meanwhile, veterinary officials have not been able to ascertain the source of the avian flu virus that killed the fowls in the Chingmeirong farm. Officials had earlier suspected the virus might have come from adjoining Myanmar, grappling with bird flu since April.

?It?s still a mystery how the virus reached that particular farm while birds in adjoining farms testing negative,? a senior veterinary officer said.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=2bc67bfe-d408-4f68-a781-0a145d190ff2&&Headline=Rain+delays+Manipur+fowl+culling

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: India: bird flu in chickens suspected / confirmed

Manipur begins culling operation to curb spread of bird flu

26 Jul, 2007 l


IMPHAL: With the Centre confirming an outbreak of the H5N1 strain of bird flu in Manipur, the state government on Thursday began culling 1.6 lakh birds within five kilometres of the site where the virus was detected.

All chickens and other domesticated birds within five kilometres of the Chingmeirong area near Imphal would be killed to prevent the spread of avian influenza, officials said.

The state government, which described the situation as "very serious", said it would compensate poultry owners. It was estimated that about Rs 60 lakh would be spent for this, the officials said.

The H5N1 strain of bird flu, currently prevalent across the world, was detected in samples taken from over 100 chickens that died in a private farm in Chingmeirong.

About 5,000 chicks and adult chickens at the government -run poultry farm in Mantripurkhri on Imphal's outskirts would come under the knife along with 1.6 lakh birds being reared in private poultry farms.

The culling operation would cover 128 small poultry units. Twenty rapid response teams will initially focus on eight villages surrounding the area of infection, said a statement issued by the Union agriculture ministry in Delhi.

Meanwhile, a report from Churachandpur district said over 200 fowls in a private farm had died some days ago. Veterinary experts rushed to the area to collect blood samples.

The state government said, as part of measures to counter bird flu, no leave would be granted to employees of the veterinary department except in emergency situations and on genuine health grounds for three months from Thursday.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Manipur_to_curb_spread_of_bird_flu/rssarticleshow/2237049.cms

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: India: bird flu in chickens suspected / confirmed

Flu alert sounded in CCpur

200 fowls reported dead in past 2 months

Source: The Sangai Express

Lamka, July 26: On the day culling of birds were ordered in Imphal East and West, the district officials here were placed on high alert as it was confirmed that more than two hundred indigenous fowls at a tiny hamlet, about 9 kms from here, had expired in the past two months.

On learning that dozens and dozens of indigenous fowls died from unknown disease at Saikul village, about a two kilometre trekking distance from Tedim Road, district veterinary officials headed by its Joint Director S Joute immediately rushed to the village and conducted a house to house inspection.

The village is inhabited by about twenty nine families.

Blood, mucus and faeces/stool samples, both from the sick and healthy fowls were collected by the visiting officials for further investigation.

Villagers of Saikul, told the visiting media team that their chickens were claimed by a mysterious disease since the early part of last month.

More than two hundred fowls out of which nearly fifty of a single household expired in quick succession.

But none of villagers pointed to any form of similar infection on the ducks.

Inspecting a sick local fowl belonging to one Vumzatuan, the visiting Veterinary officials doubted it would be that it was due to avian flu.

"We didn't find any bird flu symptoms in this fowl, it may probably be that of Ranikhet (Newcastle, ed) disease," S Joute said after minutely inspecting the ailing bird.

The ailing bird was one from about thirty fowls reared by Vumzatuan and his wife.

Officials contemplated the infection might be unrelated to avian influenza with the assumption gaining more strength as villagers recounted assumption gaining more strength as villagers recounted that some of their fowls recovered after being found to be sick.

Another resident, Nekzachin even fed and showed to the media team the bird which he claimed recovered last week after suffering for more than a week.

Moreover, the last known deaths of the fowls occurred sometime last week.

According to Jamkithang, the village chief, their fowls expired since the beginning of June and the carcasses were either thrown to a secluded place or buried.

Attempts to locate the carcasses of those disposed proved futile as it may have already been devoured by dogs or wild animals.

Taking no chances, the district administration has drawn an emergency plan to counter any eventuality, in case the disease turn out to be deadly.

All security outposts in the outskirts of the district have been ordered to monitor movement of birds in and outside the district.

The Veterinary Dept.has issued atleast two mobile phone numbers 9436279268 and 9856362864, belonging to Vet Officers for informing them of any suspicious cases of the dreaded avian flu.

http://www.e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=2..270707.jul07

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: India: bird flu in chickens suspected / confirmed

Incompetency comes to the fore on Day I of culling process

New findings indicate virus strain could be H5NI,

pathetic lack of co-ordination makes a mockery of efforts

Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 26: Even as the Union Ministry of Agriculture today informed the State Government that the virus strain found in the samples may be H5N1, which is believed to be more contagious and could infect human more easily than the H5 strain, the culling process which was supposed to have been carried out in Imphal West and Imphal East today turned out to be an eye sore with complete lack of co-ordination at the ground level between the different arms of the Government.

Though the guidelines laid down by the Centre categorically states that culling should start immediately on receiving the official report, culling only started from 4 pm today.

The report confirming the presence of the virus that causes bird flu was received at Imphal on July 25 at 12.15 ! While officials of the Veterinary Department and personnel of its Rapid Response Team were ready by 9 am, officials from the Health Department arrived only after 10 am.

The presence of the Health officials was necessary for the health check up of the RRT members and administration of Tamiflu.

The delayed start meant that the RRT personnel could only be pressed into service from 2 pm today.

Even the clause which advises that the personnel should wait for some time after consuming Tamiflu was violated as time was running out.

The undue delay in starting the culling process meant that the State Government was not able to give the updated report sought by the Centre at 12 pm today.

Amid the confusion and chaos, what added to the spectacle, was the open revolt by the locals of Chingmeirong.

The local people of Chingmeirong were visibly angry that the culling process did not cover their area today.

Their line of argument is that since the bird flu was first detected at a farm at their locality, the culling process should have started from their locality.

As no RRT personnel came to Chingmeirong even late into the evening today, the angry residents surrounded the Director and the Joint Director of the Veterinary Department to present their case and demanded an explanation.

Speaking to reporters, the angry residents said that a number of people in the locality are down with fever, the cause of which is yet to be worked out.

The local people have also opened a relief camp at the Sinam Shama Memorial Hall.

Nine teams of RTT were pressed into service in Imphal East while eight teams were deployed at Imphal West.

Departing from the guidelines, the areas where the culling process was taken was not cordoned off and there was free movement of people.

Culling will continue tomorrow, said officials from the Veterinary Department and added that RRT personnel were work till late into the evening.

While the culled birds from Imphal West were buried at a site at Iroishemba for Imphal East the culled birds were buried at different locations as per the convenience of the team.

At the Central Poultry Farm located at Mantripukhri a total of 2893 fowls including chicks were culled while 937 eggs were destroyed.

The culled birds and the eggs were buried inside a pit within the premises of the farm.

Even as the culling process was on the Control room opened at the office of the Veterinary Department received 38 calls today informing about the deaths of chicken and ducks.

As per the information received at the Control room, 20 chickens perished at a farm at Kongba out of 30 birds reared there while a report from Lilong said that 15 ducks perished this morning.

This is apart from the report of the death of 200 fowls at Churachandpur.

One wild bird was also brought to the Veterinary hospital in a dying state.

Other places which reported deaths of fowls are Uripok 5/6, Oinam Thingel four, Nagamapal 500 chicks, Sapermeina six ducklings.

Reports are still pouring in.

To over see the action taken up by the State, a team from the Central arrived at Imphal today.

Meanwhile, the Secretary of the Health Dept has issued a circular stating that the Vety and AH Department may bury the culled birds at suitable sites, the Vety and AH Department and not the Health Department shall the take the decision of where to bury the culled birds and in all respect of battling the bird flu, the directives of the Vety and AH Department shall prevail.

The Secretary of the Veterinary Department has also informed the DCs of Imphal East and West that the distance to carry the dead birds should be minimised, proper recording of number and type of birds and instant payment of compensation at the notified rates, special care for burial of killed birds, make sure that no birds are left in the infected zones, that is within the 5 km radius from Chingmeirong, and effective enforcement of orders for complete sealing on the movement of poultry birds and poultry products.

Members of the Royal Riders Association were seen distributing surgical masks to the passers by as part of their efforts in combating the disease.

http://www.e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=1..270707.jul07

[HenryN]

Re: India: bird flu in chickens suspected / confirmed

GAUHATI, India (AP)
Fear of deadly bird flu strikes eastern states

Health workers in India?s remote northeast went house-to-house searching for sick people Thursday, while workers also began slaughtering 150,000 chickens near a farm where a deadly bird flu virus was found, officials said.
The move comes a day after the H5N1 virus was confirmed in samples from chickens that died on a farm in Chenngmeirong village in India?s Manipur state, near the border with Myanmar.
Health workers were going to houses in the area to see if anyone was complaining of influenza-like symptoms, while 21 people who lived in the immediate vicinity of the infected farm were being preventatively treated with drugs, said Dorendra Singh, Manipur?s animal husbandry director.
Some 130 dead chickens were found earlier in the month and samples were sent to India?s High Risk Animal Disease Laboratory in the central Indian city of Bhopal.
Bird Flu was found in seven of the eight samples, said Upma Chowdhry, a senior official in the federal Animal Husbandry Ministry in New Delhi, adding that 150,000 birds would be slaughtered. Singh said the disease appeared to be confined to Chenngmeirong. ?Samples collected from within a five-kilometer (three mile) radius of the farm have tested negative,? Singh said.
India confirmed an outbreak of H5N1 in the west last year, but declared itself bird flu free after slaughtering hundreds of thousands of chickens. No human cases were reported.
The H5N1 virus has killed at least 192 people, largely in Asia, since late 2003, according to the World Health Organization.
Most of the fatalities have been among people who work in close contact with poultry.

http://www.bahraintribune.com/ArticleDetail.asp?ArticleId=163397&CategoryId=3

[HenryN]

Re: India: bird flu in chickens suspected / confirmed

Chicken deaths reported in CCpur </B>

The Imphal Free Press

Lamka, Jul 26: A large number of deaths of hens and cocks including chicks have been reported at Churachandpur`s Saikul village located about 8 kms away on the north west of the town proper since the last 14 days.

According to the villagers so far an estimated 200 fowls have died and many more are sick and in certain cases some are struggling for life.

Poultry is the lifebread of the villagers as they subsist by the money they obtain from selling them once they are mature for consumption.

No one knows whether the large-scale death of chicken are in any way connected with the present bird flu affecting some parts of the state.

Of course death of livestock takes place at some point of time every year in some of the seasons but not in the monsoon season.

Today some of the staff of veterinary department went to the village to ascertain the ground realities but could not determine whether the deaths were due to bird flu or not.

They took samples like particles a hen vomits and the droppings of one hen for test and only when the results are available will it be possible to know the cause of death of such a large number of poultry.

http://www.kanglaonline.com/index.ph...38754&typeid=1

[HenryN]

Re: India: bird flu in chickens suspected / confirmed

Churachandpur, Churachandpur, Manipur India

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Churachandpur,+Churachandpur,+Manipur+India&sll=24.369615,93.701019&sspn=0.549156,0.785522&ie=UTF8&ll=24.567108,93.702393&spn=4.385374,6.28418&t=h&z=7&om=0

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: India: bird flu in chickens suspected / confirmed

Over 10,000 birds culled in Manipur

27 Jul, 2007 l

IMPHAL: More than 10,000 birds have been culled and buried in the past two days following an outbreak of bird flu in Manipur, officials said on Friday.

The culling of chicks, chickens and ducks is continuing at all places within five kilometres of Chingmeirong near here, where the first case of bird flu was detected about two weeks ago.

More than 30 official teams -- each comprising of five persons led by a veterinary doctor -- are involved in culling and burying domesticated fowls at Tangkhul Avenue, Laipham Khunou, Khomidok, Khabam Leikai, Ahallup, Nagamapal, Lalambung and other places near the state capital.

Owners of private poultry farms are being compensated for the culling of the birds, officials said.

Reports from some places, however, said some farm owners had shifted their domesticated fowls to far-flung places due to the "inadequate compensation" paid by the government.

Officials said it might take up to three months to cull about 1.6 lakh birds in the area affected by the H5N1 strain of avian influenza.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Over_10000_birds_culled_in_Manipur/rssarticleshow/2238828.cms