Chandigarh: Waterfowl deaths H5N1 confirmed - Officials hospitalised with suspected bird flu - Tested negative

[Ronan Kelly]

Duck deaths: UT Wildlife Dept writes to CITCO

Bipin Bhardwaj
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, December 12
In the wake of 12 domesticated geese dying due to reportedly being fed oily eatables at Sukhna Lake, the Chandigarh Forest and Wildlife Department has written to the Chandigarh Industrial and Tourism Corporation Limited (CITCO) to direct its staff, deputed at the club and cafe at the banks of the lake, not to feed leftover eatables to the water fowls.
...
This is not the first time that geese have died at the lake in winters. In 2007, about 7-8 migratory birds had died and there were similar cases in 2013 too,? he claimed.
?The previous reports of the postmortem of the water fowls revealed death due to jaundice and swollen liver,? claimed Kumar.
This clearly indicates that the birds must have been fed junk and fried eatables leading to death, he added.
...
Blood samples negative
Dr Lovelesh Kant Gupta, joint director of the Animal Husbandry Department, Chandigarh, however, confirmed that the blood samples of the dead birds, tested at the RDDL in Jalandhar, were found negative for the avian influenza.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/chandigarh/duck-deaths-ut-wildlife-dept-writes-to-citco/17696.html

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Waterfowl deaths not AI

Seems like one sample has come back positive for H5N1 - looking for confirmation from a second source.

via Vipin Pubby (editor with Indian Express)
@vipinpubby
Government has now confirmed that one sample has been found positive for H5N1 not swine flu as was stated in its first alert @IndianExpress

https://twitter.com/vipinpubby/status/545164200859795456

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Waterfowl deaths not AI .... or maybe they are.

Government confirms avian flu at Chandigarh's Sukhna lake
Vikram Jit Singh,TNN | Dec 17, 2014, 03.01 PM IST

CHANDIGARH: The dreaded avian influenza, H5N1, has been confirmed in one of the 30 domesticated ducks (geese) that died at the Sukhna lake, Chandigarh. While measures to isolate the 100-plus geese population at the lake were underway this afternoon, tourists using boats were moving around the geese and youngsters were even seen climbing the island where the geese have been contained.

This confirmation of the avian flu was revealead in the letter marked as "very urgent" and dispatched by Rajbir Singh Rana, Joint Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, ministry of agriculture, government of India, to the Central Poultry Development Organization (CDPO), Northern Region, Chandigarh, on December 16. The letter titled, 'Confirmation of H5N1 in ducks (geese) at Sukhna lake in Chandigarh', states that "with reference to the mortality in some ducks (geese), one sample has been found positive for H5N1."
...

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Government-confirms-avian-flu-at-Chandigarhs-Sukhna-lake/articleshow/45547395.cms

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Chandigarh: Waterfowl deaths H5N1 confirmed

Location of Chandigarh


wikipedia

[Pathfinder]

Re: Chandigarh: Waterfowl deaths H5N1 confirmed

Thursday, December 18, 2014 8:43:55 AM (IST)

Bird flu: Duck sample tests positive in Chandigarh

Chandigarh, Dec 18 (IANS): Chandigarh was Wednesday hit by a bird flu scare after the sample of a duck found dead at the famous Sukhna lake tested positive for the H5N1 (avian flu) virus, an official said.

Nearly 30 ducks at the lake had died under mysterious circumstances in recent days.

The Sukhna lake has nearly 250 ducks which are a star attraction for visitors.

"In view of the death of some ducks in Sukhna lake in the past few days, some samples of carcasses were sent to the Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Jalandhar, for testing.

"In turn, they sent some samples for further testing to HSADL (now National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases), Bhopal.

Of the six samples sent to Bhopal, one sample was found positive for H5N1, he said.
...

http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=284564

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Chandigarh: Waterfowl deaths H5N1 confirmed


Domestic and wild ducks and geese swimming and dining together at the Sukhna Lake island bird sanctuary, Chandigarh.


Visitors feed geese at Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh, India

Avian flu hits Chandigarh

Vikram Jit Singh,TNN | Dec 18, 2014

Times of India

CHANDIGARH: One of several samples taken from dozens of domestic geese that died in Chandigarh's Sukhna lake has tested positive for the dreaded avian flu, triggering alarm across Punjab, which is a big supplier of chicken and poultry products to many parts of north India.

As many as 35 geese have died in the past fortnight around the lake, which is close to the administrative hub of Punjab, Haryana and Union Territory of Chandigarh and also some of the toniest residential areas of the city. Bhopal-based National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) has confirmed the presence of the dreaded virus, H5N1.

Known as the poultry hub of Haryana, there are 148 poultry farms in the area with 1.35 crore birds. The area deals in one crore eggs every day.

1 crore = 10 million


geese and paddle boats on Sukhna Lake, Chandigarh


A guard patrols Sukhna Lake on Wednesday.

As precautionary measures, the Animal Husbandry Department confined the 90-odd ducks (geese, GvdH) on the island in the middle of the lake by raising a fence, and decided to disallow morning walkers. Government hospitals in the city were alerted to get ready to deal with any situation.

Five rapid response teams of experts were formed to carry out culling of birds should subsequent tests confirm the preliminary findings.

Among the many migratory birds at the lake are pintail ducks.

- See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/cit....kJRMpLnU.dpuf

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Chandigarh: Waterfowl deaths H5N1 confirmed

H5N1 virus: 10 km around Sukhna Lake declared as buffer zone by Chandigarh Administration

The Chandigarh Administration has declared an area of 10 kilometers around Sukhna Lake as buffer zone affected by H5N1 Avian flu, and has ordered culling of about 100 ducks in the Sukhna Lake following conformation of the H5N1 virus in one the ducks tested at a Bhopal laboratory.
A ban has also been placed on visitors to the lake for the time being. All poultry farms near Chandigarh, including the largest concentration of such farms in the north around Barwala, are being closely monitored.
...
- See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/cit....kxcnRDe8.dpuf

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Zlb1wt1Nyak" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zlb1wt1Nyak

[Pathfinder]

Re: Chandigarh: Waterfowl deaths H5N1 confirmed

Bird Flu: 90 Geese Culled, Alert Sounded in Punjab, Haryana

Posted on Dec 18, 2014 in Nation

CHANDIGARH: After a sample of geese from Sukhna lake here tested positive for bird flu, authorities culled 90-odd geese and cordoned off the lake, restricting public movement in the region and sounding an alert in Punjab and Haryana.

The geese were culled on the island in the middle of the lake this evening, Director of Chandigarh's Animal Husbandry Department Prince Dhawan said.

The killings were carried out as a precautionary measure to prevent any outbreak of the bird flu in the city and adjoining areas.

Proper sterilisation methods were followed in the culling process, Dhawan said, adding that the entire lake would remain out of bounds till further orders and the adjoining Lake Club has also been shut down for time being.

Meanwhile, state-run Central Poultry Development Organisation today said it has halted all the supplies of eggs and birds as a precautionary measure.
...
The supplies remain suspended for 30 days, he said.
...

http://m.newindianexpress.com/nation/407385

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Chandigarh: Waterfowl deaths H5N1 confirmed

OIE-report - Highly pathogenic avian influenza, India - 12 18 2014

[Ronan Kelly]

MIGRATORY BIRD SAMPLES COLLECTED

Saturday, 20 December 2014 | Nishu Mahajan | Chandigarh | in Chandigarh

After the UT Administration sounded bird flu alert in the Union Territory of Chandigarh, the veterinary officers have collected blood, fecal and throat swab samples of migratory birds from Sukhna Lake for laboratory test. The samples have been sent to Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (RDDL), Jalandhar in Punjab and the report is likely to be received by UT Administration on Saturday.
...
Santosh Kumar added, “As of now, no order for culling of migratory birds is issued and our Department has intensified surveillance of the migratory birds at lake and Wildlife Sanctuary. No death of migratory bird is reported till now. The Department’s staff is keeping a close watch at lake to identify sick waterbirds, if any. The measures are also being taken to prevent the spread of bird flu here.” With the presence of more than 1,000 migratory birds here, which could be the carriers of H5N1 virus, the concerns for the spread of dreaded avian influenza H5N1 is growing in union territory of Chandigarh, which is also the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana.
...
http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-ed...collected.html

[Gert van der Hoek]

Chandigarh official hospitalised with suspected bird flu after geese cull

By MANJEET SEHGAL

PUBLISHED: 04:06 GMT, 22 December 2014


Following the bird flu scare in Chandigarh, one of the workers involved in the culling of 110 domesticated geese in the city's Sukhna Lake has been admitted to a Panchkula hospital with symptoms similar to avian influenza (H5N1).

An employee of Chandigarh's forest department, the patient has been kept in an isolated ward in the hospital.

“His samples have been sent to PGI Chandigarh. A few symptoms similar to the avian flu has been found,” a doctor from the hospital said, requesting anonymity. The person admitted had complained of chest and throat congestion along with a headache. He had gathered the geese before killing and burning them. The Union government on Thursday allowed the Chandigarh administration to cull nearly 110 geese.

Twenty-two had died earlier, and one had tested positive for avian influenza.

The lake will remain restricted to the public for a month to start with.

The bird flu scare has brought down the sale of poultry products in the region. The danger also looms large over other neighbouring wetlands, which receive migratory birds in large numbers. After a sample of geese from Sukhna lake here tested positive for bird flu, authorities culled 110 geese on December 18 on the island in the middle of the lake.

The entire culling operation which went on till midnight, was carried out as a precautionary measure to prevent any outbreak of bird flu in the city and adjoining areas.


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome...#ixzz3McIXHKC7

[Gert van der Hoek]

Flu scare: Patient not being treated as suspect, says official


Press Trust of India | Chandigarh December 21, 2014


A Chandigarh Forest and Wildlife Department official, who took part in the culling of geese at Sukhna Lake here after a dead duck had tested positive for avian influenza recently, is not being treated as a suspected case of the bird flu, a senior health official said today.

The middle-aged official who has been admitted to Panchkula's General Hospital in Sector 6 two days back after he complained of headache, was not being treated as a suspect, Dr Kamla Singh, Additional Director General, Health Services, Haryana, said.

"The patient even did not have fever, but he was kept in the isolation ward just as a precautionary measure," she said.

More: http://www.business-standard.com/art...2100487_1.html

[Ronan Kelly]

Confirmation of Avian Influenza in Sukhna Lake,Chandigarh.(Uploaded on 22.12.14).

[Gert van der Hoek]

Bird flu: Samples to be collected in Chandigarh, 5 geese die



Press Trust of India | Chandigarh December 22, 2014


The authorities here today decided to collect samples of poultry at random from the city, even as samples of three persons who were admitted to hospital here with flu-like symptoms have turned out to be negative.

Meanwhile, five geese died in a pond at village Bhambri of Fatehgarh Sahib district under mysterious circumstances, officials said.

Animal Husbandry department collected the samples and sent it to Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (RDDL),Jalandharto test the samples for the deadly H5N1 virus.

The tests of three patients, who were admitted to hospitals here with flu-like symptoms, have turned out to be negative, said Lovelesh Kant Gupta, Joint Director of Chandigarh Animal Husbandary department.

Chandigarh administration has also been conducting door-to-door survey in the localities close to the lake as a precautionary measure, officials said.

Business Standard

[Ronan Kelly]

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare22-December, 2014 17:59 IST
Shri J P Nadda directs central team to visit Chandigarh to support the UT in managing Avian Flu

Further to the reports of deaths of wild birds at Sukhna lake in Chandigarh, and notification by the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries (DAHDF), Government of India regarding outbreak of Avian Influenza H5N1 among the wild birds of Sukhna Lake on 17 December 2014, the Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Shri J P Nadda, directed immediate dispatch of a central team of three members to visit and technically assist the Union Territory of Chandigarh in managing Avian Influenza, and for preventing this from affecting humans.

The central team was deputed on 18 December 2014. The team has visited the affected areas and initiated a micro plan to prevent human cases of Avian Influenza. This includes active house to house surveillance to detect persons who may have got exposed to the infected birds.

No human case of Avian Influenza has been reported in the current outbreak. The situation is being monitored.

DADHF in co-ordination with Wild Life Authorities has culled the wild birds and their carcasses disposed off as per laid down protocol. Chemoprophylaxis has been provided to the cullersand their health statusis being monitored on daily basis.

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MV
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