-
-
Re: India - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 24+
<arttitle>Is Kolkata ready to handle bird flu?</arttitle>
24 Jan 2008, 0257 hrs IST
,TNN
SMS NEWS to 58888 for latest updates
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td align="left" valign="top"> KOLKATA: After striking terror across nine districts in Bengal, the deadly avian flu virus is almost in Kolkata. It has reached up to Hooghly's Balagarh, which has made the authorities sit up. The danger signals are loud and clear and a red alert has been sounded.
But the question that's worrying Kolkatans is whether the city is prepared to fight an outbreak? Though the government and civic authorities are trying to cope with the situation in the wake of an outbreak, the lack of experience and proper equipment could hit them badly, say health officials.
Though the city has just one poultry farm, which happens to be the largest in the state, neither the health department nor Kolkata Municipal Corporation has ruled out the possibility of an outbreak. Also, it's doubtful whether the animal husbandry department will be able to undertake the culling operation in the city with its limited resources.
Civic health officials admit that there is a lack of coordination between KMC and the animal husbandry department, with the civic bosses monitoring the situation without any guideline from the department.
The vigil hasn't been foolproof yet. Poultry in the vulnerable areas within the city limits like unhygienic Tangra, Topsia, Garden Reach, Anandapur and Mukundapur are yet to be screened. While markets and its adjoining areas are being put under the scanner, thousands of roadside shops have so far escaped scrutiny. Civic bosses are yet to take stock of the government-owned poultry farm at Tollygunge in South Kolkata.
Experts warn that even one infected bird is enough to spread the deadly virus in the city. ''Unless the sellers take precautions themselves, it's virtually impossible to keep the virus out. They will have to maintain cleanliness, be alert about the quality of chicken they are selling and spray disinfectants regularly. Even common liquid soap or phenyl is enough to kill H5NI,'' said Barun Roy, animal diseases expert.
Roy, however, added the city doesn't face an imminent threat because the supply line from the affected areas has been cut-off and leaflets outlining the 'dos' and 'don'ts' are being distributed by KMC, health and the animal husbandry department.
</td></tr></tbody></table>"In the beginning of change, the patriot is a scarce man (or woman https://flutrackers.com/forum/core/i...ilies/wink.png), and brave, and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for it then costs nothing to be a patriot."- Mark TwainReason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it. -Thomas Paine -
Re: India - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 24+
<big><big>Commentary
</big></big>
Watchful Waiting Continues for Fever Patients in West Bengal
Recombinomics Commentary 01:41
January 24, 2008
The above comments on the more than 2000 fever cases in Birbhum are cause for concern. Media reports indicate poultry began dying in mid-December and villagers were eaten the dead birds for several weeks before H5N1 was acknowledged.According to latest reports several thousand people have been running fever in Birbhum district where the disease started from. While Health Minister Dr Suryakanta Mishra said the virus was under control his officers could not explain how so many people fell ill simultaneously from a single district. One officer however informed many of those suffering from fever handled their backyard poultry before the outbreak was officially reported. "It is however impossible to conduct checks on all of them.
However, much information on these patients is lacking. Media reports indicate that most patients were not admitted. Two children have been described, and it remains unclear if they were tested or treated. There has not been any mention of collection of throat swabs or treatment with Tamiflu. This watchful waiting approach remains a cause for concern,
More information on the heath of these patients and details on testing would be useful.
"In the beginning of change, the patriot is a scarce man (or woman https://flutrackers.com/forum/core/i...ilies/wink.png), and brave, and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for it then costs nothing to be a patriot."- Mark TwainReason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it. -Thomas PaineComment
-
Re: India - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 24+
Authorities worry bird flu will hit major India city
24 Jan 2008 07:12:25 GMT
<!-- 24 Jan 2008 07:12:25 GMT ## for search indexer, do not remove -->Source: Reuters
<!-- AN5.0 article title end -->
<SCRIPT language=JavaScript src="/bin/js/article.js"></SCRIPT>
</SPAN><INPUT id=CurrentSize type=hidden value=13 name=CurrentSize> <!-- Authorities worry bird flu will hit major India city --><!-- Reuters -->By Bappa Majumdar
KOLKATA, India, Jan 24 (Reuters) - Authorities patrolled poultry markets in Kolkata to try to stop bird flu spreading to one of India's largest cities as fears grew the outbreak of the disease in eastern India was out of control.
Bird flu has spread to nine of West Bengal's 19 districts and there were reports of more bird deaths in another five districts in the state of 80 million people.
"The virus is most likely to spread to other areas within the infected zones and nearby districts, but we are now trying to stop it from hitting Kolkata," said Surjya Kanta Mishra, the state's health minister.
The H5N1 bird flu virus has been confirmed in two districts so far. Authorities have not confirmed H5N1 in other districts but say it is likely to be the same strain.
The World Health Organization has said it was India's most serious outbreak since the strain was first detected in the country in 2006.
Thailand said on Thursday the strain was confirmed in poultry in a northern province, while Bangladesh has been struggling to contain an outbreak that has affected more than two dozen districts. West Bengal borders Bangladesh.
The H5N1 virus has also resurfaced in Europe, while earlier this week an Indonesian man tested positive for the virus. Nearly 100 people have died of bird flu in Indonesia.
Scientists fear the strain could mutate into a form easily transmitted from person to person, leading to a pandemic that could kill millions around the globe.
Authorities found avian influenza in dead bird samples from Hooghly district, a little more than an hour's drive from the crowded West Bengal capital, Kolkata.
More than five million people live in Kolkata, a city dotted with rows of large houses, crumbling colonial buildings, glittering glass offices and congested slums.
Hundreds of health officials searched markets in the city's narrow lanes, looking for sick birds smuggled in from infected districts. Health officials were also checking birds at the biggest poultry farm in the state near Kolkata.
STRICT SURVEILLANCE
"A strict surveillance has been put in place and we are checking every single truck coming into the city," said Anisur Rahaman, the state's animal resources minister. "We are making every effort to save the city from the virus."
West Bengal is ruled by the world's longest-serving democratically elected communist government and it is facing huge criticism from the opposition and the central government for a slow response to the outbreak.
Authorities in the neighbouring state of Bihar said on Wednesday they will cull chickens along its border with West Bengal as a precaution.
Authorities on Wednesday intercepted a truck carrying 10,000 chicks in West Bengal's Birbhum district, the epicentre of the latest outbreak of bird flu in India. The truck was apparently trying to leave the state. Officials buried the chicks alive in a ditch, villagers said.
Authorities say is difficult to contain the outbreak in West Bengal because the virus has affected mostly backyard poultry, reared in the thousands by villagers all over the state.
Villagers are unwilling to part with their flocks and are hiding chickens and ducks inside homes, saying they were the only source of income. Authorities, though, are paying compensation of up to 40 rupees ($1) for each culled bird.
At least 60 percent of India's billion-plus people live in rural areas close to their livestock, raising the risks of the bird flu virus infecting people. (Editing by Alistair Scrutton and David Fogarty)
<!-- news ## for search indexer, do not remove -->Comment
-
Re: India - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 24+
Bird flu outbreak nears Calcutta
<!--Smvb--><TABLE><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=bottom><!--Smvb-->By Subir Bhaumik
BBC News, Calcutta <!--Emvb--></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<!--Emvb-->
<TABLE><TBODY><TR><TD width=5></TD><TD class=fact><!--So--><!--Eo--><!--So-->
<!--Eo--><!--Smiiib--></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>The bird flu epidemic in the Indian state of West Bengal has inched closer to the capital, Calcutta, with an outbreak reported close to the city.
Tests on dead birds from Dinhata, less than a two-hour drive from Calcutta, have tested positive for the disease.
Nine of the state's 19 districts have been already hit by the flu. Officials say more than 2m birds would be culled. The H5N1 strain of bird flu is regarded as highly pathogenic and can also cause disease and death in humans.
Health experts have warned that the outbreak could get out of control.
No cases of human infection have still been reported though a member of the culling team has been admitted to hospital with respiratory disorder and fever.
State animal husbandry minister Anisur Rehman said the government had a "long way to go" in culling the targeted two million birds.
Only a third of the target has been achieved - barely 700,000 birds have been culled in the last 10 days.
"More culling teams are needed in all the affected districts but these are things that cannot be hurried. The men in the culling teams have to be quarantined first before they can be asked to start the operations," Mr Rehman said.
Pace warning
In most of the districts , the villagers were resisting culling of their backyard poultry.
"Poultry is a major source of income for the poor villagers. It is not unusual for them to resist culling. So we have to persuade them rather than force them," said Manasa Hansda, a senior official of Birbhum, one of the worst-hit districts said.
The problem is made worse because many poor and illiterate farmers are sometimes misinformed about basic hygiene.
Dead birds are reported to have been dumped in village wells and ponds by people not aware of the risks from the H5N1 virus.
Federal officials have warned that if the pace of culling does not pick up fast, the airborne virus may spread to the remaining districts and even hit Calcutta.
One of the districts most recently affected, Hooghly, is close to Calcutta and contains the state's largest chicken hatchery.
"If this spreads to Calcutta, there will be panic and chaos," animal disease expert Barun Roy said.
The municipal authorities in Calcutta are not prepared for such a situation, he said.
'Panic and chaos'
Another district recently hit by the virus, Coochbehar, is close to the border with Bangladesh.
West Bengal has sealed a stretch of its border with Bangladesh, which has been fighting to contain the spread of bird flu since March last year.
Experts in Bangladesh have warned that the outbreak of the virus is far worse than the government is reporting.
"Bird flu is now everywhere. Every day we have reports of birds dying in farms," leading Bangladeshi poultry expert MM Khan has said.
"Things are now very serious and public health is [in] danger," he said, alleging that farmers were reluctant to report new cases.
There is little evidence that the virus can be transmitted easily between humans.
Most human victims have contracted the disease through close contact with affected birds.
Story from BBC NEWS:
Comment
-
Re: India - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 24+
<TABLE class=RedTableBorder style="HEIGHT: 483px" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR style="PADDING-LEFT: 10px" vAlign=top><TD class=articalTitle align=middle>New labs being set up as situation turns grim
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=430 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=dates id=hDate height=27>Published: Thursday, 24 January, 2008, 07:35 AM Doha Time</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR style="PADDING-RIGHT: 12px; PADDING-LEFT: 10px"><TD class=articalBody id=artical1 vAlign=top height=345>MUMBAI: India, fighting a bird flu outbreak in poultry that threatens to get out of control, will build several new laboratories in a bid to combat delays in testing the virus and spur faster public health responses.
As avian influenza sweeps West Bengal, India?s only laboratory specialising in testing bird flu is dealing with many times the number of samples it can handle.
Hundreds of samples of dead birds are being sent every week to the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory in the central city of Bhopal to test for what the World Health Organisation says is the worst outbreak of bird flu in India.
?It has been decided to build several new laboratories especially in view of the bird flu situation now,? Santanu Kumar Bandyopadhyay, India?s animal husbandry commissioner said. ?Things are moving quickly.?
While the laboratory clears the backlog, veterinary workers at potentially infected areas wait for the signal to begin culling poultry, often running the risk of the virus spreading.
Officials say new laboratories and research facilities are imperative in view of the rapid spread of the avian flu in the eastern state.
To begin with, at least six laboratories are being built which will be of biosafety level-3 (BSL-3), or clinical and diagnostic facilities that work with potentially lethal agents.
The new laboratories will supplement the efforts of the Bhopal laboratory.
?These centres will come up at existing regional diseases diagnostic laboratories,? Bandyopadhyay said.
?They will be capable of handling emergencies arising out of the avian influenza virus.? - Reuters</TD></TR><TR><TD>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Comment
-
Re: India - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 24+
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=4>Rain hampers culling operations in bird flu hit districts</ARTTITLE>
24 Jan, 2008, 1131 hrs IST, <ARTAG>PTI</ARTAG>
</TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 10px" vAlign=top align=middle width="100%" colSpan=4><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top align=left>KOLKATA: Rains in eight bird-flu hit districts of West Bengal hampered culling operations on Thursday even as the Malda district administration is yet to begin destruction of poultry even after 72 hours of the virus being detected in the area.
Malda District Magistrate C R Das said besides Katihar in adjoining Bihar, the virus might spread to North Dinazpur district since it too falls within ten km radius of the affected Chanchol-1 block of Malda district.
The district administration was yet to start culling operation due to lack of personnel, Das said. The virus was detected in poultry on January 21.
Unseasonal rain since yesterday has, meanwhile, hampered culling in Bankura, Birbhum, Coochbehar, Hooghly, Nadia, South Dinazpur, Bardhaman and Murshibadbad districts.
There were reports of resentments among poultry owners for not getting the promised compensation.
Animal Resources Development Minister Anisur Rehman said coupons were distributed among those who lost poultry. Those coupons could be encashed from respective panchayat offices.
Meanwhile, a truck carrying 1,000 chicken, being brought from West Midnapore district, was intercepted by local people and handed over to police last night at Moina police station area of East Medinipur district where already over 2,000 chicken have died during the past few days.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Comment
-
Re: India - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 24+
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=517 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=normalblue colSpan=2>2008-01-24 12:00:00 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=3></TD><TD colSpan=2 height=3></TD></TR><TR><TD class=normaltxt vAlign=top align=left width=11 height=44> </TD><TD class=normaltxt vAlign=top align=left colSpan=2 rowSpan=2>West Bengal reels as H5N1 virus extends grip
Commodity Online
KOLKATA: The dreaded H5N1 virus that causes bird flu continue to spread across more districts in West Bengal even as authorities set target to kill three lakh chickens every day to prevent it from spreading.
Cooch Behar and Hoogly districts were declared bird flu hit on Wednesday taking the number of affected districts in the State to nine as samples of chicken sent from these districts to the Highrisk Security Disease Laboratory in Bhopal tested positive.
The samples which tested positive were from Dinhata in Cooch Behar district and Balagarh in Hooghly district.
There was, however, no case of human?s beings being affected.
West Bengal Animal Resources Development Minister Anisur Rahaman said the target of culling which was set at 20 lakh was also likely to increase. The daily target now was three lakh with 600 teams on the job from today, he said.
About 150 technical teams from eight states, including Haryana, Assam, Maharashtra, Orissa and Jharkhand would soon join to monitor the culling. West Bengal?s border with neighboring states has already been sealed, the minister said.
In the already affected districts, the H5N1 virus was reported from more blocks in Nadia and Murshidabad districts of the state.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Comment
-
Re: India - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 24+
<TABLE width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=contentSmall1 vAlign=top height=12>Bird flu wrecks West Bengal 's Rs.5 bn poultry industry </TD></TR><TR><TD class=contentSmall1 vAlign=top height=12><HR class=dark></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=content cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width="100%" colSpan=2 height=10>Kolkata, Jan 24 (IANS): With almost half of West Bengal gripped by the deadly bird flu, the state's poultry industry says it has lost over Rs.1 billion in the past weeks owing to the spread of the virus and sluggish culling operation.
Of the over 2.1 million poultry earmarked for culling in the nine districts affected so far, only 430,000 have been slaughtered so far, nine days after the outbreak was declared.
According to West Bengal Poultry Welfare Association president Sheikh Nazrul Islam, the industry has suffered a loss of about Rs.1 billion in the past week.
"Culling is slow and ham-handed. We are suffering because of that. The police are harassing us by intercepting our consignments and even demanding bribes while the fear of bird flu among people is affecting the business," Islam told IANS.
The Rs.5 billion industry in West Bengal is facing its worst ever setback, said Islam.
"We are impoverished. We have to start from scratch now," he added.
Village women who relied on poultry farming for their livelihood are devastated.
"How will we live now? All the 20 hens and ducks I had were slaughtered. We were heavily dependent on the earning from selling of eggs," said a woman from Mangolkot in Burdwan district, about 200 km from here.
Islam spoke of instances where people in affected areas are still hiding their poultry. "In rural areas the government had given a woman member of each family 10 hens. Now when they are demanding them back for culling, the families are not forthcoming," he said.
The owners are being given tokens at culling sites and asked to contact their panchayat or village block offices for compensation. The payment is Rs.40 for a country chicken, Rs.30 for a broiler and Rs.10 for a chick.
Many villagers are, however, unhappy with the compensation price even as Animal Husbandry Minister Anisur Rahman said spot payments were being made in many places.
The state government has sanctioned Rs.50 million for tackling the bird flu outbreak while the centre has disbursed Rs.35 million. The state government has asked for another Rs.80.25 million from the centre.
The nine districts now in the grip of the epidemic are Birbhum, South Dinajpur, Murshidabad, Nadia, Burdwan, Bankura, Malda, Hooghly and Cooch Behar .
"From 640 culling teams we hope to increase the number to 750 Thursday," Rahman said.
Meanwhile, even though the minister claimed that culling was in full swing, Malda District Magistrate Chitta Ranjan Das said the process was yet to start in the affected region and might not take off before Friday.
"We got the confirmation about the virus Tuesday evening. We need some time for preparations. We have to make villagers aware (of the crisis)," he said.
While the bird flu has been confirmed in Chanchol I block of Malda, 350 km from Kolkata, the culling would cover at least two more blocks (Harishchandrapur and Itahar) and parts of Bihar.
While inclement weather in Malda compounded the problem, the culling order was issued Wednesday in neighbouring Bihar 's Katihar district, District Magistrate Pran Mohan Thakur said.
The H5N1 virus causes a type of influenza in birds that is highly contagious. It does not usually infect people unless they come in close contact with infected birds or contaminated surfaces.
All human samples tested for infection have proved negative so far.
Several states have banned the import of chicken from West Bengal .
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Comment
-
Re: India - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 24+
Tamil Nadu is another state in India, South India.
Bird Flu scare in Tamil Nadu ?
1/24/2008
Poultry owners in Kuchipalayam village in Tamil Nadu are living in fear. With more than 100 chickens dying mysteriously over the past few days, there are worries that the Bird Flu that devastated West Bengal has entered their state too. The government's claims that all precautions are in place, have not done much to reassure them.
Over 100 chicken die in Salem district
"Many chicken have been dying recently. With the Bird Flu in West Bengal, we are all very scared," admitted poultry farm owner in Kuchipalayam, P Chinnaswami.
Shockingly, though the state government has said the poultry deaths are being taken seriously not one blood sample has been sent to the specialised testing labs in Bhopal, raising many eyebrows. Despite the fears and with no tests being done, the state government has insisted there is no reason to worry.
Tamil Nadu Health Minister said, "We are taking all precautions" - but belying the state administration's tall claims that those working closely with poultry have been provided with adequate protective gear, TIMES NOW found the ground reality in villages like Namakkal spoke otherwise.
And with over 100 poultry deaths already reported from Tamil Nadu, panic has set in in these areas that this phenomenon will only continue.
?Addressing chronic disease is an issue of human rights ? that must be our call to arms"
Richard Horton, Editor-in-Chief The Lancet
~~~~ Twitter:@GertvanderHoek ~~~ GertvanderHoek@gmail.com ~~~Comment
-
Re: India - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 24+
Commentary
Comment
-
Re: India - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 24+
Rain forces culling halt as India battles worst bird flu outbreak <!-- END HEADLINE -->
<!-- BEGIN STORY BODY -->20 minutes ago
India's battle against its worst-ever outbreak of bird flu suffered a new blow Thursday as rain forced a halt to culling in West Bengal, an official said.
The virus has already spread to over half the state and the government there has declared the outbreak a crisis, having already admitted it was falling behind in its fight against the deadly H5N1 strain of avian flu.
"Culling has been stopped for the time-being because of the rain -- it will start immediately after the rains cease," state animal resources minister Anisur Rahaman told AFP in Murshidabad, 230 kilometres (140 miles) north of the state capital Kolkata.
Doctors and veterinarians from neighbouring states were arriving in Kolkata to join the culling teams fanning out across the state, the minister said.
But rains, which began early Thursday, had turned many of the rural dirt roads into mud rivers, complicating the battle against the outbreak -- the third and by far the worst to hit India.
Although India has so far not had any human cases of bird flu, Rahaman said he feared the disease would spread to humans with hundreds of people reporting flu symptoms and children "playing with chickens" in affected villages.
Ten out of West Bengal's 19 districts have been affected by bird flu -- representing more than half of the eastern state of 80 million people.
"We were not prepared for a such disaster, we're now getting ready to combat the crisis. We've asked human and veterinary doctors in government hospitals to join the culling as well as private doctors," the minister added.
"We're on a war-footing," he said, speaking from the town near the border with Bangladesh.
It is from Bangladesh that the bird flu is believed to have come from, and authorities there say it has been erupting sporadically since last February.
"We have targeted the culling of at least 2.2 million chickens," Rahaman said. "We have now 650 teams involved in the culling operations. We're trying to get more teams to speed up the culling."
People typically catch bird flu by coming into direct contact with infected poultry. Experts fear a pandemic if the H5N1 strain mutates into a form easily transmissible between humans.
Comment
-
Re: India - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 24+
AVIAN INFLUENZA INFORMATION FOR AMERICAN CITIZENS
U.S. Embassy New Delhi
24 January 2008
The United States Mission is monitoring carefully the outbreak of H5N1 Avian Influenza in Eastern India. The Government of India has confirmed that the outbreak is spreading to other districts of the state of West Bengal, and unconfirmed reports have been received from districts near Kolkata. U.S. citizens should monitor local media for developments and the latest information on affected areas so that they can avoid travel to the areas with concentrations of the disease. It is also very important that U.S. citizens follow the advice of local government health officials who are responding to the outbreak.
All U.S. citizens are encouraged to practice good hygiene, such as washing hands, scrupulously cleaning food preparation areas, and fully cooking food. In addition, U.S. citizens are advised to avoid close contact with any fowl, such as chickens and ducks, to stay clear of any sick birds, and to not visit "wet" markets where poultry are slaughtered.
The U.S. Consulate General in Kolkata will host a "town hall" meeting on Friday, January 25, 2008, at 2:30 PM for all U.S. citizens to answer questions regarding Avian Influenza. The meeting will take place in the Lincoln Room at the American Center, located at 38-A, Jawaharlal Nehru Road, Kolkata 700 071.
While it is possible that humans will eventually contract this deadly disease, U.S. citizens in India are reminded that Avian Influenza is primarily a disease of birds. People who have contracted Avian Influenza have generally had close and prolonged contact with infected birds (usually chickens or ducks), their feces, or their blood. Human-to-human transmission has been exceptional, and has been the result of sustained, close contact with the infected individual.
All U.S. citizens should consider their medium-term plans in the unlikely event that Avian Influenza ever becomes a virulent human disease, or pandemic flu. Pandemic planning information is available at www.pandemicflu.gov.
For further information on avian influenza, the U.S. Embassy suggests that you consult the U.S. Department of State's Avian Influenza Fact Sheet at http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/health/health_1181.htm, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) web site at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/index.htm. World Health Organization (WHO) guidance related to Avian Influenza is available at http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/en/.
Americans living or traveling in India are encouraged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department's travel registration web site, https://travelregistration.state.gov/, and to obtain updated information on travel and security within India. Americans without Internet access may register directly with the U.S. Embassy or the nearest Consulate. By registering, American citizens make it easier for the Embassy or Consulate to contact them in case of emergency.
For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department?s Internet website at http://travel.state.gov where the current Worldwide Caution Publics Announcements can be found. Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the United States, or, for callers outside the United States and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
U.S. citizens may contact the American Citizens Services Unit of the Embassy or the Consulates General for further information. Each of the telephone numbers listed below is available 24 hours a day for emergency services.
---The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi is located at Shanti Path, Chanakya puri 110021; telephone +91-11-2419-8000; fax +91-11-2419-8407. The Embassy?s Internet home page address is http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov.
---The U.S. Consulate General in Mumbai is located at Lincoln House, 78 Bhulabhai Desai Road, 400026, telephone +91-22-2363-3611; fax +91-22-2363-0350. Internet home page address is http://mumbai.usconsulate.gov.
---The U.S. Consulate General in Kolkata is at 5/1 Ho Chi Minh Sarani, 700071, telephone +91-33-3984-2400; fax +91-33-2282-2335. The internet home page address is http://kolkata.usconsulate.gov.
---The U.S. Consulate General in Chennai is at 220 Anna Salai, Gemini Circle, 600006, telephone +91-44-2857-4000; fax +91-44-2857-4344. The Internet home page address is http://chennai.usconsulate.gov.
http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov/warden_information.html
Comment
-
Re: India - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 24+
Helblini AVIAN INFLUENZA ? NO HUMANS AFFECTED ? SITUATIONAL REPORT AS ON 23-1-2008 11:42 IST
Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, Govt. of India has notified Avian Influenza in poultry in a number of blocks spread over nine districts, namely Birbhum, Dakshin Dinajpur, Murshidabad, Nadia, Bankura, Malda, Cooch behar, Burdwan and Hoogly.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) initiated a series of actions to assist the state in the containment operations and restrict further spread of the disease. Senior Officials from this Ministry were deputed to review the situation with State Health Authorities. The contingency plan of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has been implemented in affected districts. Seven Central Rapid Response Teams are assisting the State in containment operations. In all the affected areas, active human surveillance is being undertaken in the 0-3 Km zone and being further stepped up in 3-10 Km area. Persons having Upper Respiratory Infection [URI]/ Fever are being monitored. Health care facilities have been identified with isolation ward and critical care facilities for management of human cases of Avian Influenza. The animal health staff involved in the culling and sanitization operations and those involved in human health surveillance are being provided chemoprophylaxis and their health status is being monitored. No suspected human cases of Avian Influenza have been detected. Five samples tested so far have been reported negative.
MOHFW has supplied 1,20,000 capsules of Oseltamivir, 5000 personal protective equipments, 5000 N-95 masks and 5 ventilators. This is in addition to 10 ventilators and 10 semi automatic analyzers supplied earlier. An additional supply of 1,00,000 capsules of Oseltamivir, 100 bottles of Oseltsamivir syrup and 5 ventilators have been sent on 23.01.2008. There is adequate stock of Oseltamivir and Personal Protection Equipments to meet further requirements.
States of Jharkhand, Bihar and Assam that share a common border with West Bengal have been instructed to ban and prevent any entry of poultry or poultry related products from West Bengal into these States. Other States have also been put on alert. MOHFW has deputed Central teams to the states of Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa and other North Eastern States to review the level of preparedness and fill critical gaps. The preparedness of the districts bordering West Bengal is also being reviewed through videoconference with state/ district authorities.
MOHFW has initiated IEC campaign to sensitize the community through the visual and print media. This includes broadcast of spots on private and Government owned FM channels in West Bengal. The spots are also scheduled to be broadcast 5-6 times before and between popular programmes and the National News broadcast during morning and late evening hours 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 and Himachal Pradesh. Telecast of campaign on Avian Influenza through Doordarshan Kendras of Patna, Ranchi, Kolkatta and Guwahati has been initiated.
A control room is functioning from the Emergency Medical Relief division of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in New Delhi from 8.00 AM to 8.00 PM. The control room number is 23061469. Daily status reports are being web hoisted and could be accessed at www.mohfw.nic.in.Comment
-
Re: India - Bird Flu in Poultry/Animals Jan 24+
Map fo notified blocks (as of yesterday)
Comment
- Do not take medical advice from the internet. If you have any medical questions please consult your medical practitioner.
LATEST POSTS - click HERE
Check out the FAQ,Terms of Service & Disclaimers by clicking the link. Please register to be able to post. By viewing this site you are agreeing to our Terms of Service and Acknowledge our Disclaimers.
FluTrackers.com Inc. does not provide medical advice. Information on this web site is collected from various internet resources, and the FluTrackers board of directors makes no warranty to the safety, efficacy, correctness or completeness of the information posted on this site by any author or poster. The information collated here is for instructional and/or discussion purposes only and is NOT intended to diagnose or treat any disease, illness, or other medical condition. Every individual reader or poster should seek advice from their personal physician/healthcare practitioner before considering or using any interventions that are discussed on this website. By continuing to access this website you agree to consult your personal physican before using any interventions posted on this website, and you agree to hold harmless FluTrackers.com Inc., the board of directors, the members, and all authors and posters for any effects from use of any medication, supplement, vitamin or other substance, device, intervention, etc. mentioned in posts on this website, or other internet venues referenced in posts on this website.- We are not asking for any donations. Do not donate to any entity who says they are raising funds for us.
Tweet
Comment