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  • #31
    Re: India - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 24+

    TODAY'S EDITORIAL: Bird Flu Backlash</ARTTITLE>
    25 Jan 2008, 0001 hrs IST

    SMS NEWS to 58888 for latest updates

    <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left>More than 6,00,000 eggs are piling up in Namakkal, the poultry capital of Tamil Nadu, even as egg prices slide with the fall in demand. Thousands of broiler chickens are waiting in the wings as poultry entrepreneurs pray for importers to resume buying.

    The avian flu outbreak in West Bengal has simply devastated the poultry farmer in Tamil Nadu ? setting the industry back by over Rs 500 crore ? though the distance between the two states is thousands of kilometres and there is absolutely no sign of the virus in the south.

    Meanwhile, the government of West Bengal ? where the H5N1 flu virus has now infected poultry in half the state ? is unable to contain the outbreak. It is wasting precious time sparring with the Centre, which has accused the state government of not doing enough on time.

    This, however, is not the time for mudslinging. Little has been done to enlighten people on what the culling drive is all about. Hence the state faces problems of hidden poultry and backyard culling, leading to poor sanitation and greater risk of infection.

    The West Bengal government must act quickly to contain the outbreak, before it spreads to neighbouring states.

    Five persons have been quarantined in West Bengal as they have shown symptoms of avian flu, but as yet there are no confirmed cases. Right now the impact on the poultry industry is much more disconcerting. It is losing out on huge export orders to countries in the Gulf among others.

    Fear of a possible pandemic is turning consumers away from chicken and eggs. This is a pity since they are a relatively affordable source of protein.

    Poultry exporters say that they want the central government to divide the country zone-wise so that there is a clear understanding of which parts are affected and which are not.

    Zoning would help producers label their products. This proposal should be implemented. Zoning and labelling would help revive exports somewhat.

    The World Health Organisation says this is the worst outbreak of H5N1 virus in India till date. But the infrastructure and laboratory facilities to enable documentation, testing, detection and research in both animal/bird and human samples are inadequate.

    There are just two facilities, in Bhopal and in Pune, for testing avian samples and one each in Pune, Kolkata and Delhi for human tests.

    Bird flu outbreaks have happened in India before, in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Manipur. It looks like it is going to be a recurrent problem. West Bengal officials say at least another 1,000 vets and doctors are needed to deal with the outbreak. Clearly, it is not being tackled with sufficient urgency.

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    • #32
      Re: India - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 24+

      Calcutta under threat as bird flu flares in Asia
      India seeks to stop virus spread amid new death reports, U.N. warning
      The Associated Press
      updated 1:38 p.m. ET, Thurs., Jan. 24, 2008
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      CALCUTTA, India - Authorities went stall to stall in Indian poultry markets Thursday, trying to stop the country's worst outbreak of bird flu from spreading to crowded Calcutta, while Indonesia and Vietnam reported new human deaths ? prompting a United Nations warning of the global threat posed by the virus.
      The danger of the virulent H5N1 strain of the disease was illustrated in Indonesia, where a man from the outskirts of Jakarta died of bird flu Thursday, bringing the country's death toll to 98. On Wednesday, Vietnam announced its first death this year, taking its toll to 48 since the virus began devastating Asian poultry stocks in late 2003.
      Also Thursday, Thailand reported its first outbreak in 10 months.
      Bird flu has killed at least 221 people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. Although it remains hard for humans to catch, experts fear it will mutate into a new form that spreads easily among people, potentially sparking a pandemic.
      Fears of the virus spreading in the chaotic crowded streets of Calcutta prompted city health officials to send teams to inspect city markets for signs of the disease after it was discovered just 30 kilometers (18 miles) from the city of 14 million people.
      Health authorities ? hampered by crippling bureaucracy, a shortage of qualified personnel, ignorance among villagers and even bad weather ? have struggled to contain the outbreak, a stark reminder that much of the country has been left behind as India emerges as a global economic power.
      "Culling is slow and ham-handed," said West Bengal Poultry Welfare Association President Sheikh Nazrul Islam, who said losses to the poultry industry totaled 1 billion rupees ($25 million) in the last week.
      While India has successfully contained two previous outbreaks, both were in large poultry farms. This outbreak has largely struck chickens kept by peasants in their small yards, and many villagers, unaware of the dangers, hid their chickens or smuggled them to other areas.
      For many in the impoverished state of West Bengal, the birds provide a main source of income.
      In the village of Magram, Manwara Bibi cried as she gave her 30 chickens to the veterinarians sent to slaughter them.
      "My heart broke to hand over the chickens. The money we could get by selling these chickens would provide us help during bad days," she said. Many have complained that government compensation was inadequate or slow in coming.
      About 700,000 birds have been slaughtered since the disease was discovered last week in the state, and health workers plan to kill another 1.4 million, said state Animal Husbandry Minister Anisur Rahman.
      "We are doing our best to stop the virus from spreading to Calcutta and other districts, " Rahman said, adding that some 750 teams were involved in the slaughter.
      India's neighbors, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Bangladesh, all announced they were halting imports of poultry products from India.
      Also Thursday, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization issued a statement in Rome warning that despite international efforts bird flu remains a global threat.
      "The H5N1 avian influenza crisis is far from over and remains particularly worrying in Indonesia, Bangladesh and Egypt, where the virus has become deeply entrenched despite major control efforts," FAO Chief Veterinary Officer Joseph Domenech said in the statement.
      "The virus has not become more contagious to humans but has managed to persist in parts of Asia, Africa and probably Europe. It could still trigger a human influenza pandemic," he said.
      Officials in Indonesia, the country hardest hit by the disease, have not determined how the 30-year-old man who died Thursday became infected with the H5N1 virus, said Sunan Raja, an official at the Health Ministry's Bird Flu Center.
      Officials in a number of Asian countries have urged increased monitoring of the disease, which tends to flare during the colder months. Vietnam and China have stressed the need for heightened vigilance before the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday, when large numbers of people and poultry are on the move.
      Thailand on Thursday announced its first bird flu outbreak in 10 months, at a farm in the country's north. Livestock officials in Turkey also have been battling the disease this week.
      Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
      <SCRIPT>var url=location.href;var i=url.indexOf('/did/') + 1;if(i==0){i=url.indexOf('/print/1/') + 1;}if(i==0){i=url.indexOf('&print=1');}if(i>0){url = url.substring(0,i);document.write('URL: '+url+'
      ');if(window.print){window.print()}else{alert('To print his page press Ctrl-P on your keyboard \nor choose print from your browser or device after clicking OK');}}</SCRIPT>URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22824760/

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      • #33
        Re: India - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 24+

        Flu panic rises as goats drop dead</ARTTITLE>
        25 Jan 2008, 0223 hrs IST,Caesar Mandal,TNN

        SMS NEWS to 58888 for latest updates

        <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left>MARGRAM (BIRBHUM): Hundreds of goats have died of an unknown disease over the past four days in Birbhum's Rampurhat block II.

        Some experts warned that if the H5N1 virus ? which causes bird flu ? has jumped from birds to mammals, it could be the turn of humans next.

        TOI met jittery villagers in Dakhalbati, one of the affected villages in Birbhum's Margram. Abdul Mohid, a farmer, said his goat was shivering and sneezing and saliva was oozing from its mouth. Mohid had called in a local vet, who could only say the animal was suffering from high fever but could not pinpoint a disease. Though he prescribed medicines, those have not worked.

        Mohid, who has already lost 35 chickens to bird flu, is now scared about his livestock. He said that several neighbours had lost their goats as well to the mystery ailment.

        His neighbour Seikh Kalim has buried seven goats over the past two days. They were suffering from a similar disease. In their case, too, drugs prescribed refused to work. The animals had fever and their throats started swelling before they fell unconscious and died within minutes. At Dakhalbati, more than 60 goats have died so far.

        Villagers are blaming bird flu, as the symptoms are similar. But the state administration has claimed there was no information of cattle dying in the district. "It could be pneumonia, which commonly affects goats. But an H5N1 attack is not impossible. Pigs are proven carriers and since these goats have been sharing space with the affected birds, they are vulnerable. Chances of humans contracting the disease can't be ruled out," said Shyamalendu Chatterjee of the Indian Council for Medical Research.

        Others like Barun Roy, an animal diseases expert, pointed out that H5N1 was yet to affect cattle anywhere in the world. "It is unheard of. The goats must have been suffering from pneumonia," Roy said. The state administration, too, has claimed it had no information of goats dying in the district.

        Bird flu has resulted in huge financial losses for the villagers. They are not happy with the compensation. Now, most are trying to sell off their goats. "I have sold three goats at a low price. If this disease is bird flu, goats would be killed and I would lose my entire investment," said Mohammad Motier Rahaman, who lost three goats in two days.

        Reports of hundreds of goats dying have also come in from Murshidabad's Khargram and Beldanga areas.

        Hundreds of goats have died of an unknown disease over the past four days in Birbhum's Rampurhat block II.


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        • #34
          Re: India - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 24+

          Commentary

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          • #35
            Re: India - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 24+

            First Published: 02:22 IST(25/1/2008)
            Last Updated: 02:27 IST(25/1/2008)

            Bird flu heads for Kolkata


            Poultries in and around Kolkata could be the next destination of the dreaded H5N1 virus.
            Though the state animal resource development department minister, Anisur Rahman, at Writers? Buildings, on Thursday, termed the city as ?safe? zone, he has not ruled out the chances of getting poultry birds in and around the city infected in a day or two with the dreaded Avian Flu virus. ?The movements of migratory birds are not under our control, neither the Alipore Zoo authority could take any preventive measures in this regard. All we can do is to keep close watch on the movements of these birds,? the state animal resource development department minister said.
            According to principal secretary, state animal resource development department, Dilip Chakraborty, the department is working in close coordination with the forest and health department so that Zoological Garden official could report the government if there is any unnatural death of a migratory bird in Alipore Zoo. ?The problem is that these migratory birds do not stay at one place for longer time. We don?t even know from where they are coming. There are lots of birds in the zoo and poultries in and around the city that could get infected if any migratory bird carries the germ of this dreaded virus from the infected zone,? Chakraborty added.
            Despite the fact that both the state government and Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) are keeping constant surveillance on the local poultry markets, issuing a blanket ban on the sale of chicken from backyard firms in the city, both the principal secretary and the minister admit their helplessness in controlling this. ?We have to depend on the KMC in this regard. Only KMC could keep a constant watch so that no one could sale chicken from the backyard firms along with the poultry chickens. We have already sealed the entry points, its now the KMC to keep this city free from this virus,? Rahman said.
            The state Chief Minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, on the other hand, held a high-level meeting with the state animal resource development minister, principal secretary, additional chief secretary, home, Prasad Ranjan Ray so that culling of poultry birds in the affected areas could get completed within a day or two. The Chief Minister, on Thursday, announced an additional grant of Rs 8.25 crore from the state ex-chequer for carrying out the culling operation as fast as possible. The Union Government would be sending another Rs 8.25 crores in a day or two.
            ?The Chief Minister is holding regular teleconferences with the Union Agriculture and Food Supply Minister, Sharad Pawar in this regard. The Avian Flu disease has proved more costly in West Bengal than Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh as it attacked only the poultry birds there, while it happened in the case of backyard firms in Bengal. It was easier for those governments to carry out the culling exercise, while it is becoming tougher day by day for us as most of the villagers rear poultry birds at backyards like their own children. The culling exercise is taking more time in Bengal districts,? Rahman added.



            http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print.aspx?Id=a4076820-c536-4a40-85a8-66bd68ed8f2a

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            • #36
              Re: India - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 24+

              Bird flu: Centre, Bengal in turf war</ARTTITLE>
              25 Jan 2008, 0249 hrs IST,Kounteya Sinha,TNN

              SMS NEWS to 58888 for latest updates

              <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left>NEW DELHI: West Bengal has asked the Union health ministry to inform the state government before collecting any human samples in the bird flu-hit areas.

              The request has come after a National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, team visited the state to collect blood and throat samples of five people from Murshidabad, who had shown suspected symptoms of bird flu. Later, tests conducted in NICD (Delhi), NICED (Kolkata) and NIV (Pune) proved negative.

              According to the state government, state health officials there had no clue that samples were being collected.
              West Bengal health secretary R S Shukla told TOI: "We just don't want any information gap, especially because the state and the Centre are jointly coordinating control operations."

              He added: "We have no problem about government of India officials collecting samples. It is for the state's good that monitoring is being carried out. But because we are handling the situation on the ground, we don't want villagers to feel jittery because samples are being collected from them by unknown people. An official has also been put in charge who will keep a tab on the movement of all Union government officials."

              Meanwhile, even as the H5N1 avian influenza virus threatens to go out of control, with nine of the state's largest districts infected with it, the state and the Centre continue to be at loggerheads. Union health minister Anbumani Ramadoss, on being asked recently whether the delay in West Bengal alerting the Centre over unusual bird mortality contributed to the disease spreading so fast, said: "It could have been handled better."

              He said: "There was a delay of nearly a week for notices to be sent to us but now things have been put on track."
              Even Panabaka Laxmi, MoS, health, and Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar have been critical of West Bengal for its slack handling of the emergency. An official said: "West Bengal has finally woken up. They realize this is serious both for their people and nutritional security."

              I&B minister P R Dasmunsi too took a dig at the state government on Thursday after a cabinet meeting saying culling started late due to the state's late reporting of poultry mortality.

              (kounteya.sinha@timesgroup.com)

              http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/I...ow/2729575.cms

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              • #37
                Re: India - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 24+

                Wild bird deaths spark cull debate</ARTTITLE>
                25 Jan 2008, 0227 hrs IST,Prithvijit Mitra,TNN

                SMS NEWS to 58888 for latest updates

                <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left>KOLKATA: Many migratory birds are dying in lakes and bils of Bengal?s bird flu-hit areas. But neither the state animal resources department (ARD) nor the forest officials had any clue about steps that need to be taken.

                While the ARD said it was up to the forest department to decide on the course of action, the latter was waiting for directions from the Centre as there are no instances of migratory birds being culled in India.

                The good news for Kolkata amid the confusion was that the dead bird recovered from the Santragachhi lake last week had not been infected by the virus.

                "We have collected blood samples of migratory birds from Cooch Behar, where a lesser whistling teal died recently. It has already been passed on to the High Risk Animal Diseases Laboratory in Bhopal and we are expecting the test result shortly. But we are not sure of the measures to be taken in case H5NI is confirmed. It is up to the Centre to take a call on this since migratory birds have never been culled in India," said Ujjwal Bhattacharya, chief conservator of forests, wildlife.

                Experts, on the other hand, warned that merely checking blood samples may not help curb the spread of the virus since migratory birds were carriers. "They are rarely affected but can spread the virus quickly. If chickens are being culled as a precaution then there is no reason why they should be spared. Or else, the virus will continue to spread," said animal diseases expert Barun Roy.

                A team from Delhi has collected samples in Birbhum but refused to divulge details to the forest department here. The lack of coordination between the authorities in Kolkata and Delhi has rendered the culling operation ineffective, felt some.

                "First, we have no idea what to do if the samples test positive. We have never conducted such operation and don?t know if that is permitted. Time is running out for the virus has already affected almost half of the state," said a senior forest officer.

                The ARD admits that a decision on migratory birds needs to be taken fast but they have their hands tied. "As of now, we are yet to come across a positive case. Even if we do, we must wait for directions from Delhi. It is up to them to decide," said state ARD minister Anisur Rehman. The ARD, Rehman admitted, was not equipped to cull migratory birds.

                Meanwhile, ARD authorities heaved a sigh of relief as the post-mortem report of the bird recovered at Santragachhi revealed it died of pneumonia. The forest department was keeping a vigil in the area.

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                • #38
                  Re: India - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 24+

                  <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=780 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=2>Crow deaths cause a flutter in Kolkata

                  Express news service
                  Posted online: Friday, January 25, 2008 at 0019 hrs IST
                  KOLKATA, JANUARY 24
                  Kolkata is on the edge. With bird flu spreading fast across West Bengal, the city authorities had enough reason to panic when bird deaths, especially among crows, were reported from some parts of Kolkata.
                  After two dead crows were spotted in Bowbazar area on Thursday morning, panic stricken residents informed the Kolkata Municipal Corporation control room. ?Bird deaths are quite uncommon in our area. I spotted the two dead crows in the morning and informed KMC control room. The KMC men collected the dead birds by afternoon,? said local resident Banik Mukherjee.
                  Dev Daipayan Chattopadhyay, Chief Municipal Officer of the Health Department, said the birds have been sent to the Veterinary College in Belgachia for tests.
                  But Kolkata seems ill-equipped to manage a major outbreak. KMC has just seven veterinary doctors to monitor the situation in 15 localities. The duty of KMC vet doctors is limited to monitoring the work of the six slaughter houses and have not been given equipment or protective gear to tackle the situation.
                  ?We have ordered uniforms from the State Health Department to meet any sort of emergency situation that might arise in areas under the jurisdiction of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation,? said Chattopadhyay, adding that KMC has decided to hire eight more veterinary doctors on a temporary basis.
                  Meanwhile, the sale of chicken and eggs in city markets have been hit by the latest outbreak. ?The supply is down to one-tenth of the average. The last stock, which arrived on Sunday, has not yet been sold out,? said Manju Bibi, a chicken shop owner in Gariahat. The price of eggs has also dropped from Rs 2.50 to Re 1. A major portion of the supply in the market comes from Basirhat in North 24 Parganas.
                  Facing financial ruin, poultry owners on Thursday met Animal Resources Development (ARD) Minister Anisur Rehman and demanded that the Government provide them some relief. ?We are losing Rs 10 crore every day. But the fact is that organised poultry farms have not been affected by the virus. Few people are aware that 85 per cent of the one crore eggs consumed in West Bengal everyday comes from Andhra Pradesh,? said Gautam Bhadra, treasurer of the West Bengal Poultry Welfare Association. Bhadra and others have also met home secretary Prasad Ranjan Ray and ARD secretary Dilip Chakrabarty.
                  ?We are aware of the ordeal they are going through and have told them to give us an account of their losses. We will have to talk to the Central Government regarding this. But right now our first priority is to contain the outbreak,? Chakrabarty told The Indian Express.
                  Meanwhile, out of the target of 20 lakh chicken, the Government has been able to cull 6.65 lakh birds so far. While 583 culling teams were in action till Thursday, a total of 950 teams will be pressed into service by Friday. The Government will be distributing Rs 23 crore as compensation to the chicken owners.



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                  • #39
                    Re: India - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 24+

                    <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=4 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=articleheader>Bird blocks on state borders
                    </TD></TR><TR><TD class=articleauthor>OUR BUREAU</TD></TR><TR><TD class=story align=left>
                    Jan. 24: The number of bird flu-affected districts in the state today remained stationary at nine, but the Centre has ordered Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand and Orissa to impose a complete blockade on the entry of poultry from Bengal.
                    District administrators in the neighbouring states have been asked to ensure strict vigil, sources said. ?There?s no evidence yet of the bird flu virus in any of these states, but we don?t want to take any chances,? a source said.
                    ?We don?t want to see any poultry movement across the borders ? neither in truckloads nor on bicycles,? a senior official said.
                    According to another official, the Bhutan government has told the Indian embassy in Thimphu that it would no longer accept poultry from India. Nepal has already banned the import of poultry products from India.
                    The Union health ministry said seven teams were helping authorities in Bengal examine people in five districts ? South Dinajpur, Birbhum, Murshidabad, Nadia and Burdwan.
                    Thousands of people have been tested in these districts but no suspected case of bird flu has been detected.
                    ?Many people have been found with respiratory infections, but none so far with symptoms that can be classified as suspected avian influenza,? an official said.
                    However, in Birbhum, seven animal health workers have been found medically unfit and given anti-viral treatment.
                    All staff involved in culling and human surveillance activity are taking daily doses of oseltamivir, the anti-viral drug that works against influenza viruses.
                    State animal resource development minister Anisur Rahman said 938 rapid response teams culled over three lakh chickens today. ?We had culled over seven lakh birds till yesterday,? he added.
                    Panic gripped Jalpaiguri, where at least 350 birds have died since yesterday in three different places. ?We have decided to cull birds within 3km of any area found to be affected by the H5N1 virus,? Banamali Roy, the sabhadhipati of the Jalpaiguri zilla parishad, said.
                    Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today spoke to Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar and urged him to speed up the despatch of funds to rehabilitate villagers who had lost their poultry.
                    ?We shall shortly prepare a rehabilitation package and send it to the Centre for approval,? Rahman said.
                    The state government has spent Rs 8.5 crore on culling operations so far and a matching amount is expected from the Centre.
                    The minister said culling was over in South Dinajpur and all diseased birds would be destroyed in Burdwan and Bankura tomorrow. In Hooghly, which was declared flu-hit yesterday along with Cooch Behar, 4,000 chickens were culled today.
                    Chief secretary Amit Kiran Deb said the current target of culling 20 lakh birds would be met by January 30. ?The rapid response teams need to locate the poultry, convince people to hand over birds for culling and pay the stipulated compensation,? he added.
                    Villagers in some parts of the state continued to resist flu-fighters.
                    In Malda, residents of Bistupur surrounded a culling team?s car and forced it back. ?They would have set fire to our car had we stayed there for long,? said Sutapa Mukherjee, a member of the team.
                    Culling was delayed in Chanchol, too, where villagers demanded compensation matching the market rate of chickens before the outbreak.
                    ?Those who are resisting culling are flirting with danger. We will force them to hand over their birds tomorrow,? Malda district magistrate Chittaranjan Das said.
                    Culling in Nadia?s Tehatta was stalled for over two hours after villagers alleged that rapid response teams had killed birds by smashing them against walls. District officials intervened and brought things under control.
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                    • #40
                      Re: India - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 24+

                      Village heads meet in North Dinajpur
                      Statesman News Service
                      RAIGANJ, Jan. 24: The North Dinajpur district administration has decided to cull around 16,000 domestic birds in villages that come under the Gulandar-11 and Surun-1 gram panchayats of Itahar. The culling is expected to start from Saturday.
                      To avoid resistance while culling, as is being reported from different districts, the North Dinajpur district administration today held a meeting in Itahar with the pradhans and members of gram panchayats of villages affected by bird flu. Doctors of animal health department and leaders of all political parties were also present in the meeting.
                      According to the ADM, North Dinajpur, Mr Jaideb Saha, fouls and ducks belonging to the villages of two gram panchayats that come within a 5 km radius from the spot in Chanchal of Malda district where bird-flu was detected will be culled in keeping with the state government's directive. ?There are no organised poultry farms in these villages but around 16,000 birds including chickens and ducks are being nursed in some small hatcheries and houses of the region,? the ADM, said. http://www.thestatesman.net/page.new...ss=1&id=187400
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                      • #41
                        Re: India - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 24+

                        <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="90%" align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=2> </TD></TR><TR align=left><TD>PM orders flu awareness campaign
                        Statesman News Service
                        NEW DELHI, Jan. 24: Amid the bird flu outbreak across half of West Bengal and apprehensions of its spreading to neighbouring states, the Union Cabinet today took stock of the grim Bengal situation to work out ways and means to effectively tackle the dreaded avian influenza disease.
                        Reviewing the situation at the Cabinet meeting, the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh directed the government that a massive awareness campaign be launched immediately.
                        Dr Singh?s directive came after the agriculture minister Mr Sharad Pawar briefed the Cabinet on the bird flu situation. The issue was not on the Cabinet?s agenda but was taken up because of the urgency of the issue.
                        ?I have been directed by the Prime Minister to give widespread publicity on the bird flu situation, so we are launching a campaign immediately,? the information and broadcasting minister Mr Priyaranjan Dasmunshi said after the Cabinet meeting. He said the campaign would be launched on All India Radio (AIR) as not many villages have access to television.
                        Like his other Cabinet colleagues like Mr Pawar and the health minister Mr Anbumani Ramadoss, Mr Dasmunshi also blamed the West Bengal government for the delay in reporting the outbreak of the deadly virus among poultry in certain pockets of the state.
                        A timely joint initiative involving the Centre and the state could have been launched earlier to control the escalation of the bird flu in Bengal, Mr Dasmunshi said. ?It (bird flu) started on January 4 in some pockets of West Bengal and the attention of Centre was drawn on January 11,? Mr Dasmunsi said, echoing the statement by Mr Pawar earlier. He was referring to Birbhum and South Dinajpur where the bird flu first had first broken out, before spreading its tentacles to seven other districts of the state.
                        ?There was a little delay in culling of birds,? Mr Dasmunshi said, adding that it has though picked up momentum lately and that both the Central and the state governments are now working together to tackle the menace. Mr Dasmunshi said the Bengal chief secretary has informed the Centre that there was currently no shortage of medicines or equipment to deal with the situation. ?If required, the Centre will extend all possible help.?
                        The I & B minister also said the Bengal bird flu outbreak was different from that of Maharashtra where its outbreak occurred two years ago. In West Bengal, the cases are located in pockets, with the issue having aspects of loan, interest and compensation involving farmers and poultry owners, he said.
                        The only solace in this otherwise disturbing Bengal situation is the point that no human cases affected by avian influenza virus has been detected there till date. Five human samples tested so far have been reported negative, it was officially stated today.
                        The Union ministry of health and family welfare has initiated a series of actions to assist West Bengal in the operations to contain and restrict the spread of bird flu. Senior ministry officials have been deputed to review the situation with the Bengal health authorities.
                        States of Jharkhand, Bihar and Assam which share a common border with West Bengal have been instructed to ban and prevent any entry of poultry-related products from Bengal there.
                        The BJP central leadership today demanded the Central intervention to bring the bir flu situation under control. Lashing out at the Left Front government over its alleged ?callous and irresponsible? handling of the epidemic, the BJP spokesman Mr Ravishankar Prasad charged that the ?lack of adequate and proper response? from the state government to the first signs of the bird flu?s outbreak resulted in the disease rapidly spreading to other parts of the state.
                        The BJP said the inept handling of the bird flu spread by the Bengal government was poised to give a ?bad name? to the country.
                        </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
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                        • #42
                          Re: India - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 24+

                          Avian flu control starts with police help
                          Statesman News Service
                          MALDA, Jan. 24: Despite villagers? resistance the animal resources development officials started culling operations with the help of police in Chanchal block areas in northern part of Malda district this evening.
                          A total of 40 teams, comprising five members in each team, have been deployed this afternoon from Chanchal sub divisional headquarters after medical check-up and training for all workers.
                          A total of 320 local labourers have been engaged for culling. Eight labourers will assist each team. Due to shortage of veterinary doctors, one vet has been engaged for supervising five teams.
                          ?We have planned to collect ?backyard chickens? from the houses in the evening and kill all of them late at night?, said Mr. NK ****, deputy director, Malda animal resources development.
                          The district administration has planned to cull all chickens and ducks being reared in the houses within four days.
                          "We do not have planned to kill other birds at this moment?, said a veterinary doctor.
                          A total of 41 moujas have been identified for culling operation within 5 km radius from the epicenter Mahaanadapur village in Chanchal block.
                          The culling operation will cover Chanchal- I and Harishchandapur -I blocks in Malda district.
                          A part of Katihar in Bihar and Itahar block in North Dinajpur district has come within the 5 km radius, administrative officials said. But till 4.30 pm ARD officials failed to collect chickens from the locals due to resistance in a village under Mokdumpur gram panchayat. Villagers are demanding more money as compensation before handing over their chickens for culling, supervising official said.
                          Gram pachayat pradhan informed the local administration about the situation, fearing clash between the ARD officials and villagers, if the culling team resorted to force while collecting chickens from them.
                          Police personnel have been deployed for the protection of the culling team. The Chanchal SDO given instructions for a deployment of police avoid things from getting out of hand. "Situation is now under control at Uttar Gopalpur. But villagers are resisting at Boroi and Bishnupur and other villages?, the SDO said. ?We discussed the matter with the panchayat officials yesterday and appealed to them to hand over their poultry receiving the prices fixed by the government. We told them, we did not have liberty to increase or decrease the rate of compensation fixed by the government?, said Mr. Debasish Sarkar, the Chanchal SDO. The Chanchal SDO has received more death reports of chickens from neighbouring Harishchandrapur II block.
                          ?We have got reports of chicken deaths from various places. At least 30 to 50 chickens died in each area. We have informed the ARD officials to collect blood samples of the dead birds and send them to Bhopal for more confirmation?, Mr. Debashis Sarkar, Chanchal SDO, said. ?Necessary action will be taken if it is found bird flu virus?, he added. http://www.thestatesman.net/page.new...ss=1&id=187397
                          CSI:WORLD http://swineflumagazine.blogspot.com/

                          treyfish2004@yahoo.com

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                          • #43
                            Re: India - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 24+



                            Government of <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
                            Ministry of Health and Family Welfare<o:p></o:p>
                            <o:p></o:p>
                            Status Report on Avian Influenza in <st1:place w:st="on">West Bengal</st1:place> <o:p></o:p>
                            (As on 23.1.2008)<o:p></o:p>
                            <o:p></o:p>
                            As per available information, fresh outbreaks have been reported in the districts of Coochbehar and <st1:place w:st="on">Hooghly</st1:place> [approximately 80 Kms from Kolkatta].<o:p></o:p>
                            <o:p></o:p>
                            Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has taken following actions. <o:p></o:p>
                            <o:p></o:p>
                            ? Seven central rapid response teams of this Ministry are assisting the State health authorities in containment operations in the affected areas. <o:p></o:p>
                            <o:p></o:p>
                            ? Birbhum District: <o:p></o:p>
                            <o:p></o:p>
                            ? The surveillance teams are conducting active surveillance in 0-3 Km area and in 3-10 Km Zone in the blocks of Nalhati II; Nalhati-I, Rampurhut I and II, Myureshwar-I. <o:p></o:p>
                            ? Out of a population of 1,98,085 in 0-3 Kms of the epicenters in these blocks, 1,51,926 have been covered. <o:p></o:p>
                            ? Out of a population of 2,96,895 in 3-10 Kms of the epicenters, 83,964 have been covered. <o:p></o:p>
                            ? A total of 758 persons [516 in 0-3 Km area and 242 in 3-10 km area] with fever/URI have been detected in during surveillance. In the identified hospital 257 cases of fever/URI have reported. <o:p></o:p>
                            ? No suspected human cases of Avian Influenza has been detected.<o:p></o:p>
                            ? A total of 1142 animal health workers [veterinary surgeon, poultry workers, cullers, spraying workers etc.] have been medically examined/ followed up and 7 have been found unfit. All are under chemoprophylaxis. <o:p></o:p>
                            ? 524 Health personnel [medical officers, health supervisors and health workers] are involved in surveillance activities and they are also under cover of Tamiflu. <o:p></o:p>
                            <o:p></o:p>
                            ? South Dinajpur District: <o:p></o:p>
                            <o:p></o:p>
                            ? In 0-3 Km area, a population of 40,292 have been surveyed on 22.1.2008.<o:p></o:p>
                            ? In 3-10 Km area, survey is conducted in phases. They have covered a population of 6,794 on 22.1.2008. <o:p></o:p>
                            ? Culling operations have been completed. A total of 256 animal health workers [veterinary surgeon, poultry workers, cullers, spraying workers etc.] and 187 Health personnel [medical officers, health supervisors and health workers] and 46 hospital staff have been medically examined. The personnel involved in the containment operations and surveillance activities are under the cover of Tamiflu and are under medical supervision. <o:p></o:p>
                            ? No suspected human cases of Avian Influenza have been detected. <o:p></o:p>
                            <o:p></o:p>
                            ? Murshidabad District: <o:p></o:p>
                            <o:p></o:p>
                            ? Culling operations are underway. <o:p></o:p>
                            ? Out of a population of 31,225 in 0-3 Km area a population of 22,373 has been surveyed on 22.1.2008 and between 3-10 Km area out of a population of 76,522, a population of 1028 have been covered. <o:p></o:p>
                            ? A total of 481 animal health workers [veterinary surgeon, poultry workers, cullers, spraying workers etc.] and 210 Health personnel [medical officers, health supervisors and health workers] and 136 hospital staff have been medically examined. The personnel involved in the containment operations are under the cover of Tamiflu and are under medical supervision. <o:p></o:p>
                            <o:p></o:p>
                            ? Nadia District:<o:p></o:p>
                            <o:p></o:p>
                            ? Culling operations have started. <o:p></o:p>
                            ? In 0-3 km area, out of a total population of 19,700 the teams have covered 3,006 persons. <o:p></o:p>
                            ? In 3-10 Km area, out of a population of 70,000 the teams have covered 7,221.<o:p></o:p>
                            ? A total of 312 animal health workers [veterinary surgeon, poultry workers, cullers, spraying workers etc.] and they are under chemoprophylaxis. 113 Health personnel [medical officers, health supervisors and health workers] and 18 hospital staff have also been medically examined. <o:p></o:p>
                            <o:p></o:p>
                            ? Burdwan District<o:p></o:p>
                            <o:p></o:p>
                            ? Culling operations are going on <o:p></o:p>
                            ? In 0-3 km area, out of a total population of 44,742 the teams have covered 33,807 persons. <o:p></o:p>
                            ? In 3-10 Km area, out of total population of 8,87,233 the teams have covered a population of 24,978.<o:p></o:p>
                            ? A total of 405 animal health workers [veterinary surgeon, poultry workers, cullers, spraying workers etc.] and they are under chemoprophylaxis. 190 Health personnel [medical officers, health supervisors and health workers] have also been medically examined. <o:p></o:p>
                            <o:p></o:p>
                            ? States of Jharkhand, Bihar and <st1:country-region w:st="on">Assam</st1:country-region> that share a common border with West Bengal have been instructed to ban and prevent any entry of poultry or poultry related products from <st1:place w:st="on">West Bengal</st1:place> into these States. Other States have also been put on alert. <o:p></o:p>
                            <o:p></o:p>
                            ? Special Secretary (Health) along with Addl.DG & Director, NICD and Joint Secretary held a video conference with the State health authorities of Jharkhand as also DM, CMO and Animal Health officers of all ten districts including those sharing border with West Bengal. The situation was reviewed and they had been requested to step up the vigil, check movement of poultry and poultry products and initiate preparedness measures. <o:p></o:p>
                            <o:p></o:p>
                            ? MOHFW has supplied 1,20,000 capsules of Tamiflu, 5000 personal protective equipments, 5000 N-95 masks and 5 ventilators. This is in addition to 10 ventilators and 10 semi automatic analysers supplied earlier. An additional supply of 1,00,000 capsules of Tamiflu, 100 bottles of Tamiflu syrup and 5 ventilators are being airlifted. <o:p></o:p>
                            <o:p></o:p>
                            ? MOHFW has initiated IEC campaign to sensitize the community in the visual and print media. The following activities have been undertaken:<o:p></o:p>
                            <o:p></o:p>
                            ? Pvt. FM Channels- Radio Mirchi, Red FM have been directed for broadcast of spot duration 40 seconds in <st1:place w:st="on">West Bengal</st1:place> in the slot hired by M/o Health and Family Welfare for broadcast of NRHM. The spots are being broadcast from 16<SUP>th</SUP> January, 08<o:p></o:p>
                            ? The spots are also scheduled before and between the National News at <st1:time w:st="on" Minute="0" Hour="8">8.00 A.M.</st1:time> and before and between the National News at <st1:time w:st="on" Minute="45" Hour="20">8.45 P.M</st1:time> upto <st1:date w:st="on" Year="2008" Day="31" Month="1">31<SUP>st</SUP> January, 2008</st1:date>.<o:p></o:p>
                            ? CSU, AIR, Mumbai being coordinated for broadcast of same spots 5 to 6 times daily in the popular programmes ?Film Music, Rural Programmes, Women?s programmes? in the States of Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhatisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Rajasthan, Orissa, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh upto 31<SUP>st</SUP> January, 2008. <o:p></o:p>
                            ? The spot will be also scheduled from 24<SUP>th</SUP> to <st1:date w:st="on" Year="2008" Day="31" Month="1">31<SUP>st</SUP> January, 2008</st1:date> on FM channels of All India Radio, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Delhi</st1:City></st1:place> (Rainbow and Gold). <o:p></o:p>
                            <o:p></o:p>
                            ? MOHFW has also initiated telecast of campaign of Avian Influenza through Doordarshan Kendras of <st1:City w:st="on">Patna</st1:City>, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Ranchi</st1:City></st1:place>, Kolkatta and Guwahati. <o:p></o:p>
                            <o:p></o:p>
                            ? The situation is being monitored on a daily basis. <o:p></o:p>

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                            • #44
                              Re: India - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 24+

                              India's bird flu spreads to Kolcata
                              <SMALL>Irish Sun
                              Thursday 24th January, 2008 </SMALL>

                              The city of Kolcata in India is in the midst of a bird flu outbreak.

                              The Indian government fears the outbreak of avian influenza will get worse if direct action is not immediately taken.

                              Dead birds found relatively close to the city have tested positive for the H5N1 variant of the virus, which can be lethal to humans.

                              Bird flu has broken out in nine of the 19 districts of the federal state of West Bengal, in which Kolcata is located.

                              The Indian authorities have initiated a mass slaughter of the birds, which is going slower than hoped.

                              At least two million birds will have to be killed. http://story.irishsun.com/index.php/...d/321418/cs/1/
                              CSI:WORLD http://swineflumagazine.blogspot.com/

                              treyfish2004@yahoo.com

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                              • #45
                                Re: India - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 24+

                                Proximity to Bengal worries Manipur
                                Kartyk Venkatraman

                                Posted online: Friday, January 25, 2008 at 0021 hrs




                                IMPHAL, January 24: With reports of avian influenza outbreak in West Bengal, the Manipur veterinary department huddled in a meeting on Thursday to take necessary preventive measures. Veterinary and Animal Husbandry director Th Dorendra Singh said the state has been put on red alert and are sending random samples to the High Risk Animal Diseases Laboratory in Bhopal. Speaking to The Indian Express, Singh said Manipur?s proximity to West Bengal is worrying but his department is fully prepared. ?The nature of avian influenza is such that there could be an outbreak anywhere, anytime. For this, we are planning widespread public awareness through the media and our department workers. People will have to be prepared if there is another outbreak here.? All top V&AH department officials arrived in Imphal on Thursday from New Delhi after five days, where they were attending a meeting with the Planning Commission.

                                Although the international border with Myanmar has been closed to import of chicken and poultry-based items since the outbreak in West Bengal, the Government has ruled out sealing of the inter-state borders as of now. ?The poultry feed stocks are very low in the state. It would suffice only for a day or so. If the inter-state boundaries were sealed to poultry products, it would create havoc here. As of now, Manipur is free of bird flu but we are planning to send random blood and feed samples for testing,? Singh said.
                                http://www.indianexpress.com/story/265285.html
                                CSI:WORLD http://swineflumagazine.blogspot.com/

                                treyfish2004@yahoo.com

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