Bangladesh: Bird Flu in ANIMALS/POULTRY Feb/6/2008-Feb/28/2008

[HenryN]

Previous Thread http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/sho...t=58753&page=6

Bird Flu Related Information up to 05 February, 2008

1. No. of Farms with confirmed H5 Virus 116
2. No. of Districts with Confirmed H5 Virus 37
(Upzilla-60, Metro Thana-08)

( Dhaka, Gazipur, Narayangonj, Tangail, Jamalpur, Jessore, Noakhali, Gaibandha, Magura, Rajbari, Nilphamari, Dinajpur, Rangpur, Jaipurhat, Lalmonirhat, Thakurgaon, Naogaon, Bagura, Feni, Pabna, Kurigram, Moulvibazar, Barisal, Rajshahi, Barguna, Natore, Patuakhali, Netrokona, Bhola, Khulna, Manikgonj, Gopalgonj, Mymensingh, Sylhet, Kustia, Jhinaidah, Norsingdhi)

3. No. of Culled Farms 179

(Dhaka-33(Savar-26, Turagh-01, Demra-01, Mirpur-03, Shabujbagh-01, Lalbagh-01), Gazipur-05, Jamalpur-05, Narayangonj-10, Tangail-01, Jessore-11, Noakhali-01, Gaibandha-04, Magura-01, Rajbari-03, Nilphamari-10, Dinajpur-21, Rangpur-05, jaipurhat-04, Lalmonirhat-04, Thakurgaon-02, Naogaon-02, Bagura-01, Feni-04, Pabna-03, Kurigram-01, Moulvibazar-01, Barisal-02, Barguna-14, Rajshahi-03, Natore-01, Patuakhali-01, Netrokona-01, Bhola-08, Manikgonj-03, Mymensingh-03, Gopalgonj-01, Khulna-03, Sylhet-01, Jhinaidah-03, Kustia-01, Norsingdhi-02)

4. Culled on 05/02/2008 __

5. Culling up to 05/02/2008 4, 61, 311

http://www.mofl.gov.bd/daily_birdflu_report.pdf

[HenryN]

The above list compared with the day earlier has increases in the number of farms with confirmed H5 increasing from 113 to 116. Culled farms increasing from 175 to 179. The districts with new culling were:
Jhinaidah 2-->3
Norsingdhi 1-->2
Pabna 1-->3

[HenryN]

Originally Posted by niman

The above list compared with the day earlier has increases in the number of farms with confirmed H5 increasing from 113 to 116. Culled farms increasing from 175 to 179. The districts with new culling were:
Jhinaidah 2-->3
Norsingdhi 1-->2
Pabna 1-->3

Updated map

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UT...,15.952148&z=6

[Dutchy]

Bird flu spreads to urban Bangladesh, officials say

Wed Feb 6, 2008

DHAKA (Reuters) - Bird flu has spread to the Bangladesh capital Dhaka and to the port city Chittagong despite efforts by authorities to contain it, livestock officials said on Wednesday.

Dozens of dead crows found over the past two days in Dhaka have tested positive for the H5N1 strain of bird flu. City authorities have ordered a ban on the sale of undressed chicken in Dhaka markets, the officials said.

In Chittagong, officials confirmed the spread of bird flu in several farms and also in crows that tested positive for the strain.

The virus has spread to 38 out of Bangladesh's 64 districts, and forced the culling of nearly 500,000 birds across the country.

Bird flu was first detected in Bangladesh at a poultry farm

near the capital last March, but so far has not infected humans in the densely populated country.

Lack of awareness about the virus is still widespread in the country, officials and media reports said.

On Wednesday, a Dhaka newspaper printed a photograph of a man collecting dead crows at the city's main Ramna Park with no mask and using his bare hands.

Touching or eating sick poultry can lead to infection by the H5N1 virus that has killed more than 220 people globally since late 2003.


http://uk.reuters.com/article/scienc...21213820080206

[Dutchy]

3,000 fowls culled in S Bangladesh after bird flu detected


www.chinaview.cn 2008-02-06

DHAKA, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Some 3,066 fowls, ducks and pigeons were culled and 2,385 eggs have been destroyed at Saralia village in Morelganj sub-district in Bangladesh's southern Bagerhat district after detection of avian influenza.

Livestock officers conducted the operation Tuesday night with the help of joint forces after detection H5N1 virus in dead chickens of a poultry farm at the village, private news agency UNB reported Wednesday.

Besides, they also imposed ban on selling, rearing and carrying chickens, ducks and pigeons in and around one kilometer area of the affected farm.

As some 900 chickens of the poultry farm died on Sunday, livestock officials collected the samples of some dead chickens and sent those for laboratory test.

After getting the test report of the bird flu Tuesday night they immediately conducted the drive at two poultry farms and 134 houses in the area.

The avian influenza virus was first detected in a poultry farm in Savar, about 30 km northwest of the capital Dhaka, in March 2007. The situation has been getting worse since last month as the bird flu virus is spreading fast across the country.

The bird flu control room sources said so far 37 out of total 64 districts in the country have been affected by the bird flu.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/20...nt_7578236.htm

[HenryN]

Commentary

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/02...w_Concern.html

[HenryN]

BANGLADESH: Bird flu threatens poultry industry, livelihoods

Photo: Shamsuddin Ahmed/IRIN

Health workers spray a poultry farm in Chittagong, Bangladesh's second largest city

DHAKA, 6 February 2008 (IRIN) - Bangladesh’s poultry industry faces possible peril as bird flu spreads throughout the country: As of 5 February, H5N1 avian influenza outbreaks have been reported in 37 of the country’s 64 districts.

The industry is now confronted with its greatest challenge since large-scale poultry farming was first introduced in the 1980s.

All six divisional towns - Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal and Sylhet - have been affected, with chickens, ducks, pigeons, quails and wild cranes reportedly dying in their thousands. Scores of crows have reportedly died after eating the meat of dead chickens.

The authorities have already culled over half a million chickens at 175 poultry farms across the country, including 136 commercial farms and 39 backyard farms.

But despite these efforts, many are not convinced.

“I don’t care what government officials have to say about bird flu,” Aminul Huq, a poultry farmer in northern Bangladesh’s Dinajpur District near the border with India, remarked.

Just last week, over 2,500 birds at his farm died in a single night.

“We are panicked by the alarming spread of the disease. Instead of giving false assurances, the government should provide us with more preventative tools and gear,” Huq said - a call shared by industry experts.

More on bird flu in Bangladesh

Experts dub deaths amongst crows, ducks “alarming”

Eighty-four poultry farms report deadly bird flu virus

Bird flu “spreading fast”, says expert

Heightened concerns over bird flu

Return of the bird flu threat

Millions of livelihoods at risk

“The poultry industry has been registering 20 percent growth over the last few years - the fastest growth rate for any industry in the country,” said Monjur Morshed Khan, treasurer of the Bangladesh Poultry Owners’ Association.

Over 5 million people earn their livelihoods from the country’s 150,000 commercial poultry farms, he explained.

Added to that are another 7.5 million households which maintain small backyard coops that provide almost 70 percent of the country’s annual chicken output.

“All these are threatened by the flu,” warned a clearly anxious Khan, citing a marked drop in poultry product sales.

According to Mesbahuddin Ahmed, a veterinarian in Bangladesh’s central Gazipur District - often referred to as the poultry capital of the country and home to over 5,000 poultry farms - the impact is already being felt.

“Many poultry farms and hatcheries have been closed down. If we fail to prevent [a] bird flu pandemic then this promising industry might face collapse,” Ahmed warned.

“Our resources are limited. We need more trained personnel, more testing laboratories and more personal protective equipment to more effectively control the disease,” he explained.

Photo: Shamsuddin Ahmed/IRIN

The remains of several crows and a chicken that reportedly died of bird flu lie in the open in Chittagong, Bangladesh

Criticism of government policy

Khan criticised the culling process now taking place and the way compensation was being paid to affected farmers, hinting at possible corruption.

“All the culling is done at night. The rate and process of payment of compensation are not transparent either,” he said, citing allegations of manipulation in the number of culled birds and the amount of compensation given to owners.

At present, the government’s compensation rate for each full grown chicken is US$1 for commercial farms and $1.20 for backyard poultry.

Scientists express concern

Meanwhile, scientists have also expressed concern over the lack of effective measures being taken to stem the virus’s spread.

“We are not very sure if the flies that feed on dead birds are capable of carrying the virus to our homes. If they do, we are in a great danger,” said Habibur Rahman of Bangladesh Agricultural University in Mymensingh.

Rahman is worried about the disposal of poultry faeces, particularly at smaller rural backyard farms and coops.

“The H5N1 virus is spread through nasal and oral secretion and faeces of sick birds. There is no generally followed practice of disposal of chicken waste in our culture. Chicken faeces are not safely disposed [of],” he said.

Still another concern is what is done with the bodies of chickens that die. Most dead backyard poultry are simply thrown into neighbouring ditches, ponds or rivers, meaning the carcasses can spread the disease elsewhere, the academic said.

More public awareness needed

Such factors underscore the importance of a larger nationwide mass media campaign to boost public awareness.

“They [people] should be repeatedly told about the disposal of dead birds, hygienic disposal of chicken faeces, reporting sick and dead birds to local veterinarians. They should be told not to touch dead birds, to wash hands properly and often, keep courtyards clean and separate home chickens from wild or broiler ones,” he said.

Photo: David Swanson/IRIN

More than 500,000 chickens have been culled so far

Abdul Mannan, director-general of the Department of Mass Communication, said that over 200 of its district level staff, including district information officers, were already working to do just that, particularly with backyard farmers, most of them women.

“In the remote villages, our announcers are using megaphones to announce instructions. All of them have been trained earlier by UNICEF [the UN Children’s Fund],” he said, conceding, however, that more trained and dedicated manpower was needed.

State-owned Bangladesh TV and a dozen or so private cable TV channels occasionally broadcast programmes on avian influenza, but most observers say they have yet to have the necessary impact.

No human cases so far

At present, some 180 people who worked at H5N1-affected farms - including those government officials involved in the culling of sick birds - are now being monitored by health experts at various hospitals in the country, although to date none have tested positive for the virus.

Moreover, people living in close proximity to sick birds and who later showed symptoms of either fever or flu were also being closely watched, however, no human infection has been found, health experts at Bangladesh’s Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research said.

sa/ds/cb

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=76602

[Treyfish]

Thursday, February 7, 2008 07:18 AM GMT+06:00

Click here for Printer Friendly Version Front Page No reason to panic, though bird flu spreading Says Samaddar Unb, Dhaka Traders in Sripur Market of Gazipur pack unsafe chickens in sacks with bare hands, for sending them to the capital, despite the country being rocked by a bird flu scare. Photo: STAR Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser for Fisheries and livestock Manik Lal Samaddar yesterday said although the bird flu has been spreading, there is no reason to be panicked. "We are trying to keep the situation under control. We have taken all-out measures to prevent spread of the avian influenza virus," he told a press briefing at his ministry. So far 4,61,311 chickens, ducks and pigeons from 179 poultry farms in the country have been culled since March 2007. He said the government has increased the amount of compensation for culled chicken, and Tk 1.27 crore has so far been distributed among the affected poultry farm owners. The affected owners will now get Tk 95 instead of the earlier rate of Tk 80 for a chicken, of local variety, Tk 90 instead of Tk 70 for a broiler chicken aged over 12 weeks, and Tk 20 instead of Tk 15 for a chick. Samaddar said people have to be aware about the bird flu and they will have to ensure their own bio-security measures. He said instructions were given to city corporations and municipalities to ensure bio-security. He said the virus remains active during the winter but it gradually disappears during the summer. Prof Mahmudur Rahman, director at the Health Directorate, said there is no risk of eating chickens or eggs if they are full boiled. He said those who will cut or cook chickens will have to wash hands with soap or detergent which destroys the virus. Our staff correspondent from Chittagong reports: A poultry farmer allegedly dumped around 6,000 dead chickens at a canal and a pond near his farm at Kuwaish Burischar over the last three days. Local authorities suspect the poultry have died from bird flu infection. Locals discovered the mess after the odour of dead animals spread all around the locality. The dead chickens had been tied up in sacks and then dumped in the canal and pond. Dead crows were also found floating on the water bodies. When contacted, Mohammad Ali, owner of Aziza Poultry Farm confessed that he had dumped 1500 dead chickens from his farm. He however denied any knowledge of the remaining chickens found in the water. Chittagong Deputy Commissioner Ashraf Shamim said he had sent a team to the spot to investigate the matter and arrange for all the dead birds to be buried properly. He also said that action would be taken against the poultry owner if he were found to have secretly dumped the infected chickens instead of taking proper steps to bury the dead carcasses of the fowls. Over 13,000 chickens have died of bird flu infection while another 3,000 infected chickens were culled in the last three days in the district. The local administration, culled around 3,000 fowls at the Karnaphuli Poultry and Hatchery at city's Bakalia area on Tuesday night soon after the infection was confirmed through relevant tests. http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=22314

[AlaskaDenise]

Originally Posted by niman

Commentary

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/02...w_Concern.html

Commentary

H5N1 Confirmed Crows Cause Pandemic Concerns

Recombinomics Commentary 12:47
February 6, 2008

Dozens of dead crows found over the past two days in Dhaka have tested positive for the H5N1 strain of bird flu.

In Chittagong, officials confirmed the spread of bird flu in several farms and also in crows that tested positive for the strain.

Meanwhile our Rajshahi correspondent reports that hundreds of crows have been dying in the city without any apparent cause.

About a hundred crows were found dead just outside the Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) compound on Sunday. Locals fear that the birds might have died of bird flu infection.

The above comments described recent crow deaths in multiple locations in Bangladesh. The crows in Dhaka, that caused panic yesterday, have been confirmed. In Chittagong, the crows were confirmed yesterday, but now H5N1 has been confirmed in nearby farms. The dead crows in Rajshahi are on the border with West Bengal (see satellite map here and here).

Earlier reports had also described H5N1 positive crows in additional regions in Bangladesh, including over a thousand in Danajpur in Rajshani, which is also near the West Bengal border.

The dead crows highlight difficulties in controlling the spread of H5N1, since they can fly across sealed borders and spread H5N1 into adjacent regions. They also signal H5N1 in the region, as seen in the Chittagong metropolitan area.

Although the crows have been confirmed in multiple areas of Bangladesh, including regions bordering West Bengal, India has yet to confirm H5N1 in any of the dead wild and migratory birds found in association with confirmed H5N1 in poultry.

The widespread H5N1 in poultry and wild birds, including major urban areas, remain causes for concern.


.

[Dutchy]

Bangladesh raises compensation as bird flu spreads

07 Feb 2008

Source: Reuters

DHAKA, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Bird flu has spread to another district in Bangladesh, taking the number of affected districts to 39, officials said on Thursday, as the government increased compensation to farmers for culled poultry in an effort to control the outbreak.

"We are trying to keep the situation under control. We have taken all-out measures to prevent spread of the avian influenza virus," Manik Lal Samaddar, a senior livestock and fisheries ministry official, told reporters.

He said the interim government had raised the amount of compensation for poultry farmers to encourage them to report and kill sick birds.

The affected farmer will now receive 95 taka ($1.39) instead of 80 taka ($1.17) for a chicken, of local variety, and 20 taka instead of 15 taka for a chick.

Officials say the government is also considering scrapping restrictions that offer farmers compensation for up to 5,000 culled chickens only.

Bird flu was first detected in Bangladesh at a poultry farm near the capital last March, but so far has not infected humans in the densely populated nation of more than 140 million people.

The virus has spread to more than half the South Asian country's 64 districts partly due to a lack of awareness.Health workers have been seen burying dead birds without any protective gear, covering their face only with handkerchiefs.

Touching or eating sick poultry can lead to infection by the H5N1 virus that has killed more than 220 people globally since late 2003.

The virus has forced nearly half a million birds to be culled acorss the country.

A poultry farmer dumped around 6,000 dead chickens at a canal near his farm in the port city of Chittagong, local officials said. Dead crows were also found floating in water.

(Reporting by Ruma Paul; Editing by Katie Nguyen)

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/DHA277289.htm

[HenryN]

Bird Flu Related Information up to 06 February, 2008

1. No. of Farms with confirmed H5 Virus 121
2. No. of Districts with Confirmed H5 Virus 38
(Upzilla-62, Metro Thana-08)

( Dhaka, Gazipur, Narayangonj, Tangail, Jamalpur, Jessore, Noakhali, Gaibandha, Magura, Rajbari, Nilphamari, Dinajpur, Rangpur, Jaipurhat, Lalmonirhat, Thakurgaon, Naogaon, Bagura, Feni, Pabna, Kurigram, Moulvibazar, Barisal, Rajshahi, Barguna, Natore, Patuakhali, Netrokona, Bhola, Khulna, Manikgonj, Gopalgonj, Mymensingh, Sylhet, Kustia, Jhinaidah, Norsingdhi, Bagerhat)

3. No. of Culled Farms 202

(Dhaka-33 (Savar-26, Turagh-01, Demra-01, Mirpur-03, Shabujbagh-01, Lalbagh-01), Gazipur-05, Jamalpur-05, Narayangonj-10, Tangail-01, Jessore-11, Noakhali-01, Gaibandha-04, Magura-01, Rajbari-03, Nilphamari-10, Dinajpur-21, Rangpur-06, jaipurhat-04, Lalmonirhat-04, Thakurgaon-02, Naogaon-02, Bagura-01, Feni-05, Pabna-03, Kurigram-01, Moulvibazar-01, Barisal-02, Barguna-16, Rajshahi-03, Natore-01, Patuakhali-01, Netrokona-01, Bhola-08, Manikgonj-03, Mymensingh-03, Gopalgonj-01, Khulna-03, Sylhet-01, Jhinaidah-03, Kustia-01, Norsingdhi-19, Bagerhat-02)

4. Culled on 06/02/2008 __

5. Culling up to 06/02/2008 4, 94, 370

http://www.mofl.gov.bd/daily_birdflu_report.pdf

[HenryN]

The above list has a jump in farms culled from a day earlier:
Rangur 1
Norshingdhi 17
Feni 1
Mouvibazar 2
Barguna 2
Bagerhat 2

[HenryN]

Updated map

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UT...,10.030518&z=7

[HenryN]

Commentary

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/02...h_Culling.html

[HenryN]

Dhaka blames India for bird flu spread 8 Feb 2008, 0202 hrs IST,Kounteya Sinha,TNN SMS NEWS to 58888 for latest updates NEW DELHI: In the case of illegal immigration into India, Bangladesh's response has always been a flat denial. With regard to the bird flu ravaging West Bengal it is one better: Not only does Dhaka see no link with the infected poultry, it is actually arguing that illegally procured birds from India spread the flu in Bangladesh. Far from being willing to consider whether the traffic of infected poultry which ended up in small pens in West Bengal might have triggered the bird flu leading to culling of lakhs of birds, Bangladesh officials claimed that the traffic was one way — from India into Bangladesh. Bangladesh fishing and livestock secretary Syed Ataur Rehman told TOI from Dhaka that the government had taken exception to public statements made by some Indian politicians that the virus came to India through illegal poultry trade from Bangladesh. He said: "Such allegations are unfair. Actually, poultry is illegally brought into Bangladesh by Indians and not the other way round. We have lodged an official protest with India's MEA over such public comments." Senior Indian officials monitoring the flu point out that there could, indeed, be a two-way trade in poultry. But they are stumped by the claim that it in only India that is the source of infected birds in Bangladesh. Besides officials in West Bengal, Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar had said that the H5N1 virus that has infected 13 districts of Bengal entered from Bangladesh. India had made a formal request to the Bangladesh government to share the genetic history and information of its virus. Health secretary Naresh Dayal had told TOI : "If we see that the virus circulating in Bengal is the same as the Bangladeshi type, we can almost be certain that illegal trade of infected poultry from Bangladesh into India was the cause of the present outbreak." On another count, Bangladesh is being more cooperative. The genetic sequencing of the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza strain, that is currently wreaking havoc in Bangladesh, has been completed and the eastern neighbour is willing to share the data with India. It, however, has one condition: that India, in a reciprocal gesture, allow Bangladesh to study the genetic details of the H5N1 virus strain that hit Maharashtra, Manipur and is presently wreaking havoc in West Bengal. Rahman admitted that the genetic sequencing of the virus, that has been circulating in Bangladesh since March 2007, had been completed by the OIE Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza in Weybridge, UK. In reaction, India's animal husbandry secretery Pradeep Kumat told TOI : "India is willing to share virus samples with Bangladesh." Adding that Bangladesh's foreign ministry has already communicated this to India's external affairs ministry, Rahman said that a joint secretary level officer, Parikhit Dutta Ray, has been appointed as a liaison officer in Dhaka to especially deal with India's requests, including setting up joint monitoring teams, sharing virus information and control and containment operations. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/a...,prtpage-1.cms

[HenryN]

20,580 poultry birds culled in Dinajpur

Star Report


Livestock department officials of Dinajpur culled at least 20,580 chickens, including free-range chickens, ducks and pigeons, between Wednesday midnight and yesterday noon.

Our Dinajpur correspondent reports: The birds were infected with H5N1 strain of the avian influenza, according to a report from Savar Livestock Research Institute.

District livestock officials said several hundred fowls of Mizanur Rahman's farm died of unknown diseases on February 2. They sent a number of the dead fowls to Joypurhat Livestock Research Institute and later to Savar Livestock Research Institute for tests.

On February 5, reports from Savar Livestock Research Institute said the chickens died of bird flu.

Sources said 19,903 fowls were culled at Mizanur's farm and other farms of the town after receiving the reports. At least 677 free-range chickens within a square kilometre area have also been culled.

Meanwhile, Dinajpur livestock officials received Tk 3.37 lakh as fund for compensating owners of 43,978 fowls that were culled since March last year. However, the department had culled at least 64,558 fowls since March last year.

Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury yesterday said his ministry was working closely with ministries concerned and foreign partners to assist the government and the poultry industry address the avian flu issue, UNB reports.

He said this when a delegation of Bangladesh Poultry Industries Association met him and apprised him of various problems the country's booming poultry industry is facing.

The association's President Mohammad Kaiser Rahman, Technical Adviser to Bangladesh Poultry Industries Association MM Khan, Director of Aftab Bahumukhi Farms Shah Habibul Haque were present at the meeting.

http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=22473

[AlaskaDenise]

Originally Posted by niman

Commentary

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/02...h_Culling.html

Commentary

H5N1 Culling Jump in Bangladesh

Recombinomics Commentary 18:34
February 7, 2008

Authorities in Dhaka, the country’s capital, and Chittagong, its port city, are worried by the wide number of dead crows they found over the past two days. The birds tested positive for the H5N1 strain of bird flu.

City officials in Bangladesh’s capital have already ordered a ban on the sale of undressed chicken in the city’s markets. In Chittagong, authorities announced the spread of the deadly flu in several farms, as well as in crows that tested positive for the H5N1 strain.

The above comments describe the continued spread of H5N1 in Bangladesh. The daily Ministry of Fish and Livestock report from Bangladesh shows culling in 202 farms since the outbreak was first reported last year. However, the number in yesterday’s report was 179.

This dramatic jump represents new culling yesterday in six districts. Leading the list was Norshingdi with 17 farms northeast of Dhaka (see satellite map here and here). The other districts reporting new culling yesterday were Rangur (1), Feni (1), Mouvibazar (2), Barguna (2), Bagerhat (2).

This dramatic jump, coupled with H5N1 positive crows in Dhaka and Chittagong, are cause for concern.


.

[Dutchy]

Saturday, February 09, 2008

1200 fowls die of bird flu at gheor farm

Our Correspondent

MANIKGANJ, Feb 8: Twelve hundred poultry birds died in the last four days at Aleya poultry farm at Foyla village under Ghior Upazila in the district.

The victims sent the sample of the dead birds to the Field Diseases Investigation Laboratory at Manikganj for examine recently.

Principal Scientific Officer of the Laboratory Dr Hossain Ali said the birds were examined there and confirmed of bird flu presence. The sample was also sent to Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute at Savar on the night of following day for further confirmation, he said.

He also said 100 birds also died of bird flu at a firm of Abu Hossain at Thanapara village under Gopalganj municipality area in the last two days.

Gopalganj Sadar Upazila Officer of Livestock Depart-ment Awal Haque sent the sample at Manikganj and found the avian influenza on the tes, he added.

http://www.newstoday-bd.com/home.asp?newsdate=2/9/2008

[HenryN]

India offers Bangla help with flu tests

SMS NEWS to 58888 for latest updates
NEW DELHI: Indian labs may soon start testing Bangladesh's bird samples to identify the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus.

In a confidence-building gesture, India is planning to ask its eastern neighbour, crippled by a severe bird flu outbreak, to send ground samples to labs here for rapid testing and genetic sequencing.

While India has world-class bio-security level (BSL) III and IV labs, like the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory (HSADL) in Bhopal and National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, to test bird samples, Bangladesh, that is overburdened with its worst-ever bird flu outbreak, lacks such diagnostic facilities.

While 13 of the 19 districts of West Bengal have been affected by H5N1 in India, the outbreak in Bangladesh is much more severe. The H5N1 virus was first detected there in March 2007. Since then, over 39 of Bangladesh's 64 districts have been affected by bird flu.

In an exclusive interview to TOI from Dhaka, secretary of Bangladesh's ministry of fisheries and livestock Syed Ataur Rahman had said that samples are being sent all the way to the OIE Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza in Weybridge, UK, for testing.

"Bangladesh does not have its own facility to genetically sequence virus strains. That's why samples are being continuously sent to Thailand and UK," Rahman said.

In response, India's animal husbandry secretary Pradeep Kumar said the country was planning to extend a helping hand to its neighbouring countries in testing their samples.

He told TOI: "Helping our neighbours would in turn be helping ourselves. If the virus can be contained in the neighbouring countries, the virus would pose lesser danger to India. We are planning to formally offer India's help to Bangladesh in testing avian samples."

Rahman had told TOI that a joint secretary level officer, Parikhit Dutta Ray, had been appointed as a liaison officer in Dhaka to especially deal with India's requests including setting up joint monitoring teams, sharing virus information and control and containment operations. In response, Kumar said India too was finalizing a joint secretary level mechanism which would facilitate exchange of information.

(kounteya.sinha@timesgroup.com)

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/a...,prtpage-1.cms
[/color]

[sharon sanders]

Combating Bird Flu

It now appears that the country is facing a wave of Avian Influenza (Bird Flu). The disease is a highly contagious one. It has by now contaminated poultry birds in about 40 districts of the country -from Dinajpur to Chittagong. Several hundreds of thousands of birds (Chicken) have died, huge number of birds already burned and many more under threat of contamination. In all, a near endemic situation is prevailing in the poultry sector.

It would be really hard for this emerging sector of the economy to bear and eventuality to make up the loss the sector has already suffered. The marginal farmers of rural areas are the worst affected.

On paper, the government seems to be responsive to the problem but at the ground level the response is much too inadequate.

The virus needs to be contained. And that should be the responsibilities of the administration. The farmers, particularly the marginal ones, need immediate rehabilitation which is needed to save this emerging multi-million dollar sector economy of the country.

Lapses or delays would be rather too costly for the economy if it is ruined forever.

http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/200...9/news0218.htm




Abu Musa Miah

Lalbagh, Dhaka

[Shannon]

The information flowing out of India and West Bengal is mixed to say the least. Put on your waders.

[Muscade]

Traduction automatique

Environ 20.000 volailles cueillies dans Dinajpur

DINAJPUR, 8 fév. (UNB) : Environ 20.000 volailles étaient cueilli et 25 oeufs détruit dans la région de Matasagar de Sadar Upazila mercredi et jeudi.

Les fonctionnaires de bétail de zone ont déclaré qu'ils ont cueilli les volailles et ont détruit oeufs dans six fermes de volaille de 11 P.M. mercredi à 10 AM jeudi ensuite détection de la grippe d'oiseau dans le secteur.

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Some 20,000 fowls culled in Dinajpur

DINAJPUR, Feb 8 (UNB): Some 20,000 fowls were culled and 25 eggs destroyed in Matasagar area of Sadar Upazila Wednesday and Thursday.

District livestock officials said they culled the fowls and destroyed the eggs in six poultry farms from 11 pm Wednesday to 10 am Thursday after detection of the bird flu in the area.

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.co...&news_id=24878

[Snowy Owl]

When the bird flu

Antara Dev Sen is Editor of The Little Magazine, an independent publication devoted to essays, literature and criticism on social concerns and issues neglected by mainstream media (www.littlemag.com). Sen has earlier worked as a senior editor with The Hindustan Times and The Indian Express, among other assignments.
The bird flu strikes in unexpected ways. It has now taken a swipe at our Olympic aspirations. The national badminton camp scheduled to start on February 7 was cancelled at the last minute, due to a lack of shuttlecocks. Because those are made of goose feather. And geese, like chickens, have been affected by the bird flu and are out of bounds.


Such foul news crushed aspirants who had hoped to hone their skills for the big badminton championships coming up, including the Olympic Games this summer.

Too bad, said the Sports Ministry, never mind if we don't add another feather to our cap, we can't allow shuttlecocks from bird-flu-hit China. As with most consumer goods, China appears to be dominating the shuttlecock market. Sadly, even our domestic shuttlecocks from our own birds have disappeared after the bird flu scare. And given the real danger of avian flu, there isn't much point in raising a racquet.

Before this sporting blow, it was a culinary disaster for meat-eaters. Mutton is bad for the health - certainly after a certain age - and poultry was fast disappearing from the menu, at least in eastern India. As the bird flu took wing, you could feel the change in attitude, especially in roadside eateries.

The raffish street wit of Kolkata updated you on the health hazard. It started with eateries brandishing cheekiness with chicken curries, cutlets, omelettes and devilled eggs. “Old stock!” they grinned, “all pre-bird flu stuff. Very stale, very safe. Trust me, there isn't a single fresh chicken or egg here! Don't worry - come and eat!” People did.

Days passed, the scare increased, the tune changed. “Blood flu, blood flu!” roadside vendors called out loudly, getting their words mixed up in their rush to lure passersby, tossing chicken kathi rolls invitingly on the tawa over a blazing flame. “Check out this heat - that wretched virus has no chance! Here, try one.” They reeled out temperatures that kill the virus, egging on the nervous, sneering at the gutless, celebrating the brave who stepped up to eat.

But as the West Bengal government stepped in, determined to exterminate the infection, even the bravest chickened out. Poultry disappeared from markets and dining tables as good Bengalis clucked in disgust and turned more enthusiastically to their first love, fish.

Meanwhile, millions of chicken were being killed across the state, at the first sign of the flu in the neighbourhood. Headless chickens once again dominated news-space, months after Ronen Sen's idiomatic English almost got his own head chopped off. (Why, he had snapped at a reporter, were journalists and politicians running around like headless chickens agitated about the Indo-US nuclear deal? And spent the next weeks and months offering craven apologies in all directions.)

As millions of birds were culled in Bengal, local cynics gave a bird's eye view. What a terrible time for Bengali birds, they moaned, can't be idle, can't take a siesta, can't be yourself! The moment one sits down to relax, they rush in and kill the whole flock!

Humour helps, but it doesn't protect us from viruses. For that we need information, concerted effort, political will, health infrastructure, adequate funds and cross-border cooperation. Unfortunately, we are somewhat lacking in almost all of the above. Now, Bangladesh's refusal to reveal which strain their bird flu virus is strikes yet another blow to India's efforts to fight its worst attack of the disease.

In order to pinpoint the source of infection in West Bengal - strongly suspecting that it was infected poultry smuggled in from Bangladesh - the government of India had asked its neighbour for genetic details of the strain of bird flu that has been wreaking havoc in Bangladesh since last year. But Bangladesh declared that the sequencing is not done yet, and they don't have any details to offer.

Experts doubt this stand, because it is impossible to fight the virus without knowing what to fight, and Bangladesh has been struggling with the avian influenza for a year. Besides, their genetic sequencing was reportedly completed in the UK last year. Refusing to share information on a potential pandemic that could kill millions across the globe defies common sense, ethics and political wisdom.

For the flu which begins with birds passes on to humans, killing people with a vengeance. In Indonesia alone, of the 126 people sick with this flu, 103 have died. And the toll goes up every day or two. More worryingly, health authorities in Indonesia now seem to be uncertain about the cause of its spread. After studies conducted around victims and their surroundings, they could not decide on the risk factors for human infection. Which means that the virus could be spreading far more dangerously than thought, making it very difficult to snap the chain of infection from birds to humans.

And once it becomes a human flu, the virus may mutate, become airborne and even drug resistant. It can travel the world freely, posing enormous dangers to unsuspecting people in distant lands - like commuters, air-passengers, travellers by train or bus or car - anyone at all, since these days we travel a lot and stay ensconced in air-conditioned comfort even more, breathing each other's breath in the canned, recycled air.

As the world gets smaller and we get cosy in the global village, such silent, natural biological bombs could devastate us all. Infections like the avian flu in humans could pose a bigger hazard than the new strains of drug resistant tuberculosis that have already surged in developing countries and terrified the developed world.

Curiously, bird flu has been around for years, and has been infecting humans since 1997. The rate of human infection has galloped in the last year, and every day it gets grimmer. The only way to check this is by sharing information. Regional and international borders become irrelevant in the face of this global danger.

Given this reality, it's time the international community wakes up and helps poorer countries battle this virus. The worst affected countries are in Southeast Asia, and now Bangladesh seems to be in the thick of it, even though it doesn't want to admit it - like China chose to downplay it in the initial stages, causing much harm to the world's health.

West Bengal may have contained the present crisis, but the virus is not about to go away. And it may have already spread to neighbouring Bihar, Orissa and other states. Besides, the northeastern states bordering Bangladesh are probably infected as well. And it may have spread to Nepal, given the open borders and dodgy trade routes that operate through the narrow stretch of West Bengal between Bangladesh and Nepal - popularly and quite innocently known as the Chicken's Neck.

Like India, Bangladesh too is densely populated and the poor have very little access to healthcare or sanitation, have even less awareness of the dangers or ways to prevent infection, and also raise chicken and ducks in their backyards. Once infected, it is ideal breeding ground for the bird flu. Unlike India, though, Bangladesh is still in denial and refuses to see the threat or share information on it. Unless the international community steps in, it would be very difficult to fight this global threat.

We need to think long-term and address trade practices, poultry rearing norms, lifestyle changes, health infrastructure and general education.

Because the bird flu is not just a localised, temporary crisis. Headless chickens, as Ronen Sen would confirm, are just the beginning.

[Treyfish]

Poultry farm owner arrested for dumping dead chickens on road and water in Ctg

Owner of Azizia Poultry Farm at Hathazari was arrested today for dumping Avian Flu infected dead chickens on the road and canal. Police said Mohammad Ali was arrested in the afternoon following a case filed against him by the local Livestock Officer. Ali on Wednesday dumped scores of dead chickens of his farm in open place posing serious threat of spreading bird flu and hazards to human health. Dumping chickens died of bird flue in open place was in violation of strict order of the government. --UNB, Chittagong

http://www.bangladeshinfo.com/news/o...hp?othid=44914

[Treyfish]

Fish price soars as people turn away from chicken


Bird flu update


Saturday February 09 2008 00:35:15 AM BDT


Culling of chickens is continuing in the country. Some 20,000 fowls were culled and 25 eggs destroyed in Matasagar area of Sadar upazila in Dinajpur yesterday.( The New Nation )

Due to the endemic of bird flu across the country 40 per cent poultry farms have shut down and price of fish has increased further in the city kitchen markets. Fish is being sold at Tk 40 to Tk 50 more from the price of the previous weeks taking advantage of the lull in the sale of chicken.

Meanwhile, experts at a press conference in the city urged the Caretaker Government (CG) to take measures so that migratory birds do not come in contact with the local birds.

They also urged the CG to implement the ban on import of poultry and poultry related items from the effected countries for the prevention of avian influenza, virus of bird flu, in Bangladesh.

The press conference on 'Upcoming bird flu disaster in Bangladesh: Ways to remedies' organised by Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) at Moni Singh- Farhad Trust Auditorium yesterday.

Prof Muzaffar Ahmed, President of BAPA, presided over the conference, while Dr SK Roy, scientist of ICDDR,B, Dr Md Abdul Motin, General Secretary of BAPA, spoke on the occasion.

The speakers urged the CG to increase quality and number of laboratory with facilities for virus identification of chicken and ensuring use of mobile laboratory kits across the country.

They demanded to increase ability, manpower and financial assistance of the national avian influenza task force.

In Dinajpur, district livestock officials said they culled the fowls and destroyed the eggs in six poultry farms from Wednesday night to yesterday morning after detection of the bird flu in the area.

About 50,000 fowls, ducks and pigeons were culled and one-lakh eggs destroyed in the last one week in the district, they said.
http://bangladesh-web.com/view.php?hidRecord=186794

[Treyfish]

A man on a bicycle carries chickens in Dhaka on Thursday not knowing he could be helping bird flu spread.

http://www.southasianmedia.net/News_...try=Bangladesh

[Treyfish]

No bird flu in dead crows found in Dhaka

Friday, 08 February 2008

Staff Correspondent No avian influenza virus was detected in the crows that were found dead in the capital on Monday and the sick crow collected from Gulshan Lake Park on Tuesday, officials said. ‘The test result showed no sign of avian influenza in the dead crows and the sick one,’ said Dr Mosaddek Hossain, chief veterinary officer of Central Veterinary Hospital.

http://www.independent-bangladesh.co...-in-dhaka.html

[Treyfish]

Govt to set up 17 labs to test bird flu

Bss, Ctg

Eggs stack up at this wholesale store on Tejgaon Station Road in the capital yesterday as egg sales dropped to 3,000-5,000 from 80,000 a day at the store due to bird flu scare. Photo: STAR

The government is contemplating setting up 17 laboratories across the country, including one in Chittagong, with the financial assistance of USAID for screening bird flu properly.

Fisheries and Livestock Secretary Syed Ataur Rahman disclosed this at a meeting of the stakeholders on bird flu situation and to review the precautionary measures taken so far to tackle the menace.

The meeting prohibited carrying of poultry birds and their eggs to and from Chittagong for the next 15 days.

Director general of Livestock Department Sunil Chandra Bose, Chittagong Divisional Commissioner, Hossain Jamil, Deputy Commissioner, Ashraf Shamim, Member-Secretary of Chittagong Poultry Industry Association Rakibur Rahman Tutul and poultry farm owner, Mohammad Iqbal, among others, spoke at the meeting.

Upazila nirbahi officers (UNOs), district and upazila level officials of Livestock Department and a good number of poultry farm owners participated in the meeting held at Chittagong Circuit House conference room in the morning.

Addressing the meeting, the fisheries and livestock secretary said all stakeholders of the sector should come forward to supplement the government's efforts to tackle the situation.

He urged the poultry farm owners to take steps to ensure area-wise bio-security together with small traders.

He also requested them to conduct a weeklong assessment programme with the help of experts of Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Science University to ascertain the overall state of bird flu in greater Chittagong.

Earlier, the fisheries and livestock secretary along with the officials visited the Karnaphuli Market in the port city to see the precautionary measures taken in combating the bird flu. http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=22727

[Treyfish]

28,000 chicks killed in fire at poultry farm
Jind, Feb 9 (UNI) At least 28,000 chicks were charred to death and property worth lakhs of rupees was reduced to ashes today when fire swept through a poultry farm in village Ikkas in this district. The fire was apparently triggered by a short circuit and spread across so fast within minutes that not even a single chick could be saved. At least 100 sacks full of chicken feed and property worth at least nine lakh was also gutted in the fire, owner of the farm, Jitendra, told UNI. The fire tenders had to battle the blaze for over two hours before it could be doused, he said.
http://www.deepikaglobal.com/ENG3_su...NG3&subcatcode=

[sharon sanders]

Bird flu spreads to another Bangladesh district

2 hours, 28 minutes ago

Bird flu has spread to another district in Bangladesh despite efforts by authorities to contain it, taking the number of affected districts to 40, officials said on Sunday.
Health workers culled nearly 12,000 fowls after tests confirmed some chickens had died from the avian influenza virus in the northeast, livestock officials said.
The H5N1 virus, first detected in Bangladesh in March last year, was quickly brought under control through aggressive measures, including culling. But follow-up monitoring eased in later months prompting the disease to reappear, experts say.
So far, no human infections have been reported in Bangladesh, a densely populated nation with millions of backyard poultry and thousands of chicken farms.
The interim government has enhanced compensation for poultry farmers to encourage them to report and kill sick birds.
More than half a million birds to be culled across the country, but the virus has spread to more than half the South Asian country's 64 districts partly due to a lack of awareness.
Media reports said many children were seen smiling and playing with dead poultry. Even health workers have been seen burying dead birds without any protective gear.
The World Health Organization worries that the H5N1 strain, which has already killed more than 220 people worldwide since 2003, could mutate into a form that passes easily between humans and infect and kill millions.
(Reporting by Ruma Paul; Editing by Bill Tarrant)



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