India - Bird Flu in POULTRY/ANIMALS Feb 5th - 10th 2008

[Treyfish]

Culling may be tough in Mayurbhanj
Saturday February 9 2008 08:49 IST
ENS

BHUBANESWAR: Though the High Court directive has brought some relief to the people and poultry, the proposed ‘culling’ of chicken within 5-km radius of West Bengal border in Mayurbhanj district seems to be an arduous task - realising the ‘attachment’ of the tribals with the indigenous breed of the ‘red fowl’ species and its ethno spiritual role.

Of course, out of 123 samples sent in two phases from the district to the Bhopal-based High Security Animal Disease Laboratory, not a single sample was found positive and this proves that the ‘Mayurbhanj’ breed of fowl commonly called as ‘hansli’ variety by the tribals with a typical long neck and red feather coat is not affected by the deadly ‘H5N1’ influenza virus.

But the government had already deployed 15 teams headed by as many numbers of vaterinary assistant surgeons to execute the task ignoring the lab report and the ‘social angle’ of the whole issue, says tribal leader Sukhlal Hansda of Raikadjharan village adding even the offer price of the chicken irrespective of the ‘gender’ is a paltry Rs 40 while the ‘game birds’ used in cock-fights are sold at a price of Rs 1,000 - 2,000 and in some cases even some enthusiasts may quote more than that to the owner.

Poultry farming, especially with the local ‘hansli’ variety among the tribals is a source of livelihood. So without providing an alternate earning source if the culling is ever executed then there would be a stiff opposition and the State Government and the Centre would be responsible for that, Hansda said.

According to anthropologist A. Bose, even cocks are offered to tribal gods as food and the Santhals in particular while praying for their chief deity ‘Marang Buru’ offer only ‘hansli’ cocks. Even in the sal forests or near a tribal hamlet their temple or ‘jahira sthan’ is always seen with such offerings.

“Culling of the poultry would definitely affect the breed of this indigenous variety and its viability,” Bose added saying even the ecological web will be disrupted with killing all the fowls as they help in controlling pests and insects in and around habitations and crop fields.

The door-to-door survey in the particular area of Mayurbhanj has identified 83,782 birds from 152 villages of 18 gram panchayats, sources said.

But the surprising part of the whole controversy has also got some political colour as the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) activists might take the opportunity and make an ‘issue’ to ‘fight’ against the ruling alliance in the coming Assembly polls. http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems...ORISSA&Topic=0&

[Treyfish]

Fish costlier in Kolkata

From our ANI Correspondent

Kolkata, Feb 9: West Bengal Fish sellers are making a killing after the State Government's ban on chicken sales in the wake of the outbreak of H5N1 strain of bird flu virus.

Bird flu has spread to 13 of West Bengal's 19 Districts.

"More than 3.4 million birds have been culled in the State since H5N1 virus was first reported last month," a West Bengal State official said.

The West Bengal Government has banned the sale of chicken across the State till February 12 and the fish sellers in the State are making the most of it as chicken eaters are now switching to fish.

"Chicken has been banned in the wake of bird flu in the State. Before the outbreak of bird flu, 'rohu' (a popular fish variety) was selling at 70-75 rupees per kilograms. But now after the outbreak we get it at 80 rupees and then we sell it for 120 rupees per kilograms," said Amit Das, a fish seller in Kolkata.

The customers are mainly Bengalis, who are known for their fascination for fish.

"Earlier Hilsa (a fish variety) cost 200 rupees. I was spending 200 rupees on fish and now I have to spend 500. Bengalis cannot live without fish and these sellers are taking advantage of that," said Rita Das, a customer.
http://www.dailyindia.com/show/21477...ier-in-Kolkata

[Treyfish]

Cops henpecked at Writers’ as chickens come home to roost

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Mohammed Safi Shamsi

Posted online: Saturday , February 09, 2008 at 02:30:32
Updated: Saturday , February 09, 2008 at 02:48:26
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Kolkata, February 8 Unable to get any political mileage from the culling issue, the workers of the Congress party vented their frustration today by making a chicken run of the Writers’ Buildings.

The procedure involved bombarding the security guards with live chickens. And it was carried out with a precision befitting a commando operation.
There was no advance notification from the marauders. Nor was there any prior intelligence of their plan among the ruling party.
But out of the blue, around 1 pm, about two dozen men packed in cabs — representing Congress party’s Burrabazar youth wing unit — stormed the Writers’ VIP gate with over a dozen chicken.
The policemen manning the gate just had minutes to cordon off the entrance. And after the recent taste of mob fury at Dinhata and Bankura, they were in no mood to retaliate.
Not that they were in a state to.
What they were ready for was assault from human agency - stones, bricks and even the odd bottle. But the running, squawking, pecking, flapping, scared birds had the officers on duty chickening out in no time.
As per “unofficial” reports, two policemen were seen rushing for first aid - the injuries involved pecks in the elbow and the below the knee.
The commotion gave the Congress workers sufficient time to squat, show posters and shout slogans about bird flu infections and the police firing at Dinhata in front of the lenses.
While it was relatively easier to round up the Congress workers, it took a while for the policemen, no spring chicken themselves, to “arrest” the hopping, flapping, hiding chicken.
Traffic flow in the vicinity was severely affected, though for a short time.
Finally the men and the chicken were all packed into three police vans and sent to the central lock-up at Lal Bazar.
While the men were released later, the fate of the chicken is still undecided: “We have handed over the chicken to a local dealer to keep them in safe custody. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation has refused to take away the birds as Kolkata has not been declared a culling zone,” Vineet Goyal, deputy commission (headquarters) told The Indian Express.
Chief municipal health officer Dr DD Chattopadhyay contradicted the police version: “We were not contacted by Lal Bazar. And if we were, what can we to do? Do we have place for keeping chicken?”
The gimmick, however, has put the Congress state leadership in a spot, even though the ruling party is yet to cry foul.
Senior state Congress leader Pradip Bhattacharya said the demonstration is justified if it was against improper distribution of compensation money to the affected families: “They are a frontal organisation, and don’t require any permission from the state committee,” he added.
As for another senior leader, Manash Bhunia, “I won’t comment” seemed the only handy response. http://www.expressindia.com/latest-n...-roost/270996/

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[Treyfish]

Saturday, 9 February 2008 TEHELKA INITIATIVES:

From Tehelka Magazine, Vol 5, Issue 6, Dated Feb 16, 2008 BUSINESS & ECONOMY poultry The Chicken And Egg Puzzle West Bengal will be chicken-less this week. But the scare of avian flu has doomed its Rs 800-crore poultry market, writes TUMPA MANDAL TRUCKS LADEN with eggs from Andhra Pradesh have always been a heartwarming sight for Sanjeeb Bose and Kunal Dutta, two smalltime egg merchants who operated out of their store in South Kolkata. Today, that would be a nightmarish sight — because they would have to be destroyed. Dutta and Bose are just two of West Bengal numerous egg merchants who have had to down shutters for over a week, incur huge losses and wonder what to do next as West Bengal reels under a severe invasion of avian flu which has spread to 13 of the state’s 19 districts and wreaked havoc in the state’s Rs 800-crore poultry market. In one horrific incident witnessed by Dutta, a week ago, local CPM cadre working under instructions from state authorities, destroyed 10 truckloads of eggs from Andhra Pradesh as part of the state government’s preventive measures. Post carnage, a local woman asked a cadre: “Are you telling me packed eggs from Andhra Pradesh, which have no linkages to the West Bengal bird flu, are dangerous for consumption?” He had no answer. In his non-committal attitude lies the crux of the crisis that has gripped West Bengal. Officially, an estimated 150,000 chicken contracted avian flu. The state government culled nearly 17 lakh chickens and is contemplating culling another 5 lakhs. The virus has affected around four percent (22 lakh birds) of the state’s poultry stocks and impacted 5 lakh across the 13 district unabated, across the state. “The current losses are in the region of Rs 150 crore,” Dasgupta told TEHELKA. Across the state, shops, restaurants and hotels have put up notices saying chicken meat, duck meat and egg products were not on offer, prompting West Bengal Poultry Owners Association director Prasun Roy to call it the biggest crisis faced by the industry. “Nothing is working. Some ministers have urged people to consume poultry products but the rest have sent cadre to cull the birds. It is only causing confusion,” says Roy, wondering whether the state government will compensate those who suffered losses. “It will be a Herculean task to recover the money.” Says a chef at the city’s Oberoi Grand Hotel: “We are very, very careful. Chicken and egg are offered with a mandatory caution notice that is kept next to the table. “ THE OUTBREAK is also taking a toll on the state’s poultry exports. Till last week, eight countries — including Oman, Sri Lanka, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and the UAE — have stopped import of poultry products from India. “We have lost 60 percent of our business in the live chicken segment,” says Arambagh Hatcheries vice president Partha Sen. Madan Mohan Maity, chairman of the state unit of NECC, agrees: “There will soon be a total crash of the wholesale market in the state.” Industry sources admit West Bengal is losing Rs 16.5 crore a day on account of the avian flu. Soon, the crisis will impact exports from Andhra Pradesh, which produces 5 crore eggs and six lakh broiler chickens a day and is the country’s biggest supplier. “Imagine the magnitude of losing the almost Rs 3 crore business from West Bengal,” says Maity as culling goes on unabated, across the state. But with most of the state gripped by fear, not helped by the fact that some poultry owners tried to smuggle chicken from affected districts to unaffected ones, spreading avian flu, no one seems ready to listen. From Tehelka Magazine, Vol 5, Issue 6, Dated Feb 16, 2008 http://www.tehelka.com/story_main37....hicken_egg.asp

[Treyfish]

State likely to lift poultry ban


By SUBRATA CHATTOPADHYAY
Kolkata, Feb. 8: With bird flu leading to a substantial impact on the backyard poultry products in West Bengal, the state government is contemplating to lift the ban imposed on the sale and movement of poultry products in the areas where the deadly H5N1 virus has been detected.
State animal resources development minister Anisur Rehman on Friday said, "As the unusual death of chickens has come down at almost zero-level, we may consider the demands of the poultry owners to revoke our decision of ban on business of chickens."
The state government will on February 15 start releasing one-time relief of Rs 500 to the affected people whose birds have been lost in the culling operation, the minister said, adding that the administration in the affected districts was preparing a comprehensive list of those families.
Later, Mr Rehman said, "Culling is almost over and we are now conducting mopping up operations which will be completed soon in the infected areas." More than 36 lakhs of poultry population in the state has been culled since the bird flu outbreak was first reported last month. He also said that tests of at least 28 people, including several veterinary staff with symptoms of influenza, had turned out to be negative for H5N1.
Meanwhile, vaccination drive began on Tuesday in Mathabhanga in Cooch Behar district, where six cows have died of anthrax. http://www.asianage.com/presentation...ultry-ban.aspx

[HenryN]

Bird flu: Govt issues alert in east UP
Reports of illegal poultry imports from bird flu-affected districts of West Bengal prompted the decision
ARSHAD AFZAL KHAN
Posted online: Sunday, February 10, 2008 at 0006 hrs IST
Faizabad, February 9
Reports of illegal poultry imports from the bird flu-affected districts of West Bengal to the eastern part of Uttar Pradesh via Bihar has led to the Uttar Pradesh government to issue an alert here.

The state government has directed the rapid action teams of the Animal Husbandry Department to keep vigil in the area and immediately report if there are any unnatural poultry deaths, Chief Veterinary Officer, Faizabad, Dr Narendra Kumar told The Indian Express.

All the district officers in Faizabad and Devipatan divisions have been directed to maintain regular surveillance of all poultry imports from West Bengal.

According to experts, the smuggling of birds, including chickens, quails, partridges, starlings, can act as a “ carrier” of the bird flu virus.

Senior veterinary scientist Dr Raji Rai said after bird flu gripped certain districts of West Bengal, the big operators there started shifting their livestock to Bihar.

Since east UP shares a border with Bihar and is a big market of poultry, so they are filling the market with the smuggled birds from West Bengal, he added.

Rai said that the area has been officially declared a high-risk area for the disease.

Confirming the reports, Dr P C Diwedi, veterinary officer of Divisional Veterinary Laboratory, said the eventuality of bird flu hitting the state could not be denied if the smuggling of birds from West Bengal continues.

“We are collecting serums of chickens and other birds on regular basis and sending them to the regional disease diagnostic laboratory in Pune,” said Dr Diwedi.

http://www.indianexpress.com/printer...ly/271130.html

[HenryN]

Originally Posted by niman

Bird flu: Govt issues alert in east UP
Reports of illegal poultry imports from bird flu-affected districts of West Bengal prompted the decision
ARSHAD AFZAL KHAN
Posted online: Sunday, February 10, 2008 at 0006 hrs IST
Faizabad, February 9

According to experts, the smuggling of birds, including chickens, quails, partridges, starlings, can act as a “ carrier” of the bird flu virus.


http://www.indianexpress.com/printer...ly/271130.html

Sounds like its almost time for the other shoe to drop.

[Treyfish]

Archive Number	20080208.0518
Published Date	08-FEB-2008
Subject	PRO/AH> Undiagnosed deaths, caprine - India (03): (West Bengal), RFI

UNDIAGNOSED DEATHS, CAPRINE - INDIA (03): (WEST BENGAL), RFI*********************************************** *****

A ProMED-mail post<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of theInternational Society for Infectious Diseases<http://www.isid.org>[1]
Date: Thu 7 Feb 2008From: David E. Price [edited]<price16@llnl.gov>
Re: Undiagnosed deaths, caprine - India (02): (West Bengal), RFI 20080126.0329-------------------------------------------
The statement [in the above posting], which disputes that pigs have been shown to be infected by H5N1 HPAI is incorrect.
Published research by the USA's Agricultural Research Service's Exotic and Emerging Avian Viral Diseases Research Unit shows that, while it doesn't cause serious disease, H5N1 HPAI definitely can infect pigs.

"Groups of 4 animals were intranasally inoculated with 10 6 EID50 of A/Vietnam/1203/04 (VN/04) or A/Muscovy duck/ Vietnam/209/06 (Dk/VN/06) viruses.""Histological examination revealed lobular lymphocytic bronchopneumonia and focal alveolitis in the lungs of pigs infected with both H5N1 viruses. Conclusions. Pigs had limited susceptibility to infection with avian influenza H5N1 viruses."See Pathogenesis of avian influenza A (H5N1) viruses in pigs for details:<http://ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?SEQ_NO_115=210959> [For subscribers' convenience, the abstract is copied and included in the commentary below. - Mod.AS]There are several other interesting research projects involving H5N1 and pigs documented on the site.--David E. Price, SRO, CHMMSenior Safety Analyst(Nuclear, Chemical, Biological, and Explosives Accident/Safety Analyses) Nonproliferation, Homeland and International Security (NHI) Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory<price16@llnl.gov>[We are grateful to Dr. Peter Roeder, the author of the observations in 'Undiagnosed deaths, caprine - India (02)' for promptly forwarding his following response to the above.]******[2]

Date: Fri 8 Feb 2008From: Peter Roeder<peter.roeder@taurusah.com>

I have no reason to doubt the validity of the observation even though I have only seen the abstract of the paper. I note from this that virus was detected in the upper respiratory tract of swine up to 5 days after they had been intranasally inoculated with an avian influenza virus of unstated origin; another isolate from a duck seems not to have replicated at all. I see no evidence of systemic infection and the pigs showed no signs of clinical disease; nor am I sure of the aetiological link between the lung lesions described in one pig and the avian influenza virus infection. Could it be that the observations relate to limited virus replication primarily on the mucosal surface of the upper respiratory tract? I would wish to see the full paper.What I should have stated explicitly was that I was referring to evidence of infection occurring in field situations not as a result of experimental infections conducted in laboratory conditions. I would expect that any number of species could be experimentally infected to variable degrees but that is a different issue. It is to me an enigma as to why natural transmission to, between and from swine does not seem to have occurred. If anyone has any data showing that it does occur, it would be very useful if this could be reported.--Dr Peter Roeder, BVetMed, MSc, PhD, MRCVS<peter.roeder@taurusah.com>

[For subscribers' convenience, see the mentioned abstract:"Lipatov, A.S., Kwon, Y., Lager, K.M., Suarez, D.L., Swayne, D.E. 2007.

Pathogenesis of avian influenza A (H5N1) viruses in pigs [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Research Conference on Orthomyxoviruses, September 21-24, 2007, Woods Hole, Massachusetts. p. 26.Background.Genetic reassortment of avian influenza H5N1 viruses with currently circulating human influenza A strains is one possibility that could lead to efficient human-to-human transmissibility. Domestic pigs which are susceptible to infection with both human and avian influenza A viruses are one of the natural hosts where such reassortment events could occur. To begin to study this possibility we characterized the pathogenesis of H5N1 influenza in a pig model.Methods.3-week-old male domestic pigs (PIC 1050's, a cross between a Land Race x Large White Cross) were used in the experiments. Groups of 4 animals were intranasally inoculated with 10 6 EID50 of A/Vietnam/1203/04 (VN/04) or A/Muscovy duck/ Vietnam/209/06 (Dk/VN/06) viruses. Pigs were observed daily and 2 pigs from each group were euthanized on day 5 and day 14 after virus inoculation to collect organ samples. Body weight of infected pigs was measured daily; nasal and rectal swabs for virus detection were collected on days 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11.Results.Inoculation of pigs with both H5N1 viruses did not result in disease with visible clinical signs or significant weight loss. VN/04 virus was detected in nasal swabs of inoculated pigs on days 1 (2 animals, titers 10 1.5 EID50 and 10 2.25 EID50/1.0 ml of collection fluid), 3 (1 pig, titer 10 2.25 EID50) and 5 (1 pig, titer 10 3.75 EID50). Dk/VN/06 virus was not detected in nasal or rectal swabs. VN/04 virus was not detected in any of organs samples collected on day 5. Dk/VN/06 virus was isolated from lungs of 1 pig (titer 10 5.75 EID50/g) and nasal turbinate of another animal (titer 10 2.5 EID50/g). Histological examination revealed lobular lymphocytic bronchopneumonia and focal alveolitis in the lungs of pigs infected with both H5N1 viruses.Conclusions.Pigs had limited susceptibility to infection with avian influenza H5N1 viruses. Inoculation of pigs with VN/04 and Dk/VN/06 viruses resulted in asymptomatic infection restricted only to the respiratory tract in contrast to mouse and ferrets animal models, where these viruses are highly pathogenic and replicate systemically."Our request for further information on the dead goats, particularly laboratory results of samples from the goats, is included again. - Mod.AS][see also:Undiagnosed deaths, caprine - India (02): (West Bengal), RFI 20080126.0329....................arn/ejp/dk

[Treyfish]

Pawar tells states to lift curbs on poultry movement
10 Feb 2008, 0251 hrs IST,Kounteya Sinha,TNN

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NEW DELHI: Lift the ban on import of poultry immediately. This is the gist of a strongly worded letter sent to all states recently by Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar. The minister has taken strong exception to his home state of Maharashtra banning import of poultry, eggs and feed from across the country as a precautionary measure against bird flu. The ban also covered Andhra Pradesh which supplies Maharashtra over 40% of its poultry products. A similar move, that is being considered by states like Chhattisgarh, has worried the agriculture ministry which says such "over-reactions" will adversely hurt the country's poultry industry. According to Pawar, the ban on movement and sale of poultry products has only been imposed on the 13 districts of West Bengal where the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu virus has been detected. Animal husbandry secretary Pradeep Kumar told TOI: "The Centre has written to all the states other than West Bengal not to impose any restrictions on the inter-state movement of poultry and poultry products." A ministry official said: "Pawar's letter has been sent to all chief secretaries. Maharashtra has been told to lift the ban with immediate effect. States contemplating similar action have been advised against it. There is really no threat from poultry in any other state. Such bans covering all states are unjust. Ban on import should only be on poultry from the affected areas." The move has seriously affected the poultry industry in states like Orrisa, Assam, West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar. Maharashtra's animal husbandry minister Anees Ahmed had said the ban would be in effect till the Centre declares West Bengal as a bird flu-free state. "AP, which sends nearly 50 lakh eggs to Maharashtra every day, is the biggest sufferer of such a restriction," an official said. Meanwhile, with no further reports from HSADL, Bhopal, of any sample testing positive from any part of Bengal, the state government is planning to review the ban imposed on the movement and sale of chicken and eggs from all across the state. Bengal's animal resources development minister Anisur Rahman said there would be review meeting on February 12 to see when the ban could be lifted. He, however, added that it would be lifted in consultation with the Centre on confirmation that mopping-up operations were complete. Kumar, on his part, said: "We don't intend to lift poultry trade ban in Bengal very soon." According to Rahman, Bengal has incurred a loss of Rs 500 crore due to bird flu outbreak in the state since January 15. India has in the meantime has replenished its fast depleting reserve of oseltamavir — the most effective drug to treat the H5N1 virus infection in humans. The health ministry had written to pharma companies to supply fresh stocks of the drug as fast as possible. One company on Friday supplied the ministry 10 lakh doses of Tamiflu. Till Thursday, India's reserves had fallen to 45,000 doses. Under the bird flu preparedness plan, the ministry had decided to stockpile 10 lakh capsules of oseltamivir at any given point of time. WHO has, however, stockpiled three million doses of Tamiflu http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/I...ow/2770366.cms

[Treyfish]

Dead birds in Raj Bhavan fuel flu scare

Kolkata, February 10, 2008


First Published: 01:12 IST(10/2/2008)
Last Updated: 01:24 IST(10/2/2008)



Bengal's bird flu scare has the Raj Bhavan aflutter because two birds with no external injuries were found dead on its premises on Monday.
But like its tardy culling operations in the state, the animal resource development department has kept the governor's residence waiting for a report, five days after the dead birds were found.
Fed up with the lax approach, a senior official of the Raj Bhavan on Wednesday rang up the department's babus to ask what had been done to the samples. The department, realising then that the samples had come from the Raj Bhavan, immediately sent them to the Bhopal High Security Animal Disease Laboratory by air at a cost of Rs 35,000.
The Raj Bhavan contacted the animal resource department on Monday itself when the dead birds were found. Paramedics from the Belgachhia Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory rushed to Gopal Krishna Gandhi's official residence to collect the samples. The sample collection was done in 45 minutes and the Raj Bhavan told that it would soon be informed if the birds had died of avian influenza that has gripped the state.
But after the samples went to the laboratory, no tests were conducted for the next 24 hours. The preliminary tests are done at the Kolkata laboratory before being sent to Bhopal.
It was only after a senior official of the Raj Bhavan contacted the principal secretary Dilip Chakrabarty of the animal resource development department that the Kolkata laboratory stirred.
The samples finally went to Bhopal, but had the government acted fast, it could have sent these with a consignment of other samples that left for Bhopal early this week and saved the Rs 35,000 the state spent in sending them separately.
A senior official attached with the Kolkata laboratory said the samples tested negative for bird flu, a small relief to the Raj Bhavan, perhaps. http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryP...fuel+flu+scare

[Muscade]

Treyfish

Bengal govt to compensate 700,000 Bird flu affected families Kolkata, Feb 9 (UNI) After the massive culling of chickens that took a heavy toll on the state's poultry farming, the West Bengal government braces up for compensating families affected by bird flu. As about 3.7 million birds had been killed to check the outbreak of avian flu, the number of families facing economic disaster, stood at a staggering 700,000. All these families used to depend on backyard farming for livelihood. '' Altogether 3.7 million chickens have been culled in 16 districts and about 700,000 families have been affected by it. Rs 100 crore will be needed to be disbursed as grant to these people,'' Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta today told newspersons. He said the state government had urged the Centre to bear 50 per cent of the total grant. Dr Dasgupta said the state government would start giving a one-time compensation of Rs 500 to each of the affected families from February 15. ''Chickens will be provided free of cost to the poorest families,'' he added. Following an initiave taken by the state government, banks agreed to disburse a loan of Rs 600 crore among the affected families to restart business, the minister said. http://www.deepikaglobal.com/ENG3_su...newscode=13992

[Dutchy]

From Orissa state

Bird deaths cause alarm

Statesman News Service

BHAWANIPATNA, Feb. 10: Even as the state government dilly dallies over the culling of birds in a 5 km radius of neighbouring West Bengal, reports of deaths in a private poultry farm near Kesinga of Kalahandi district caused a flutter today.

Veterinarians rushed to the spot to collect blood samples while an experts' team is to arrive from Cuttack tomorrow.

Official sources , including KC Sasmal, chief district veterinary officer confirmed reports of bird deaths at a farm near Kesinga. "At least 55 birds have died over two days",he said.

Significantly, the poultry farmer Trinath Sahu has reportedly confided that he had purchased the birds from West Bengal during the second week of January. This has shocked many here because the government had not only warned against import of birds from the avian flu infected West Bengal but had also claimed that it had put in place a strict ban on such imports.

Mr Sasmal however insisted that one cannot jump to any conclusion on cause of death of the birds. "It could be due to any disease, unless we get reports of the blood samples sent for tests nothing can be said", he observed.Meanwhile a section of tribals in Mayurbhanj district and others have been protesting against the proposed move to cull birds in a 5 km radius of West Bengal.

The government has taken a decision to adhere to the center's directive in this regard but it has not implemented it as yet.Interestingly, the state government declared last week that it will go ahead with culling operations last week but district authorities have not taken up the task on the plea that they are yet to get firm directives from the government.

The quixotic situation has left everybody guessing and at least the birds happy. One such instance is to the enumeration of the number of birds in areas coming in the 5 km radius. The figures varied from five lakh to 1.41 lakh. District officers at Mayurbhanj confided that they were facing resistance even to the enumeration survey.

http://www.thestatesman.net/page.new...ss=1&id=190092

[HenryN]

Fresh chicken deaths in Nadia
Statesman News Service
KRISHNAGAR, Feb. 10: At a time when it was believed the state has succeeded to get rid of avian influenza after no unnatural deaths of chickens were reported over the past few days, fresh chicken deaths were reported today in Ranaghat-II block in Nadia.
According to reports, over 1,300 chickens died of a mysterious disease in different poultry farms in Ranaghat-II block in Nadia. The symptoms of the disease are similar to avian influenza. The district authorities sent a team to collect samples and take note of the situation.
Mr Onkar Singh Meena, Nadia district magistrate said, “I came to know that fresh chicken deaths were reported in the district. I have sent a team to verify the situation. The team would enquire whether the symptoms of the disease are similar to bird flu.
The team will also look after the environment of the poultry farm.”
The deputy director of the district animal resource department, Mr Amalendu Saha said: “ We are yet to receive any such report but we will look into the matter. Proper precautionary measures will be initiated if the report is true.”
It can be recalled that the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus had wreaked havoc, mainly in the backyard poultry.
And that was the reason why the state government faced real trouble to stop the spread of the disease. If the disease is confirmed as bird flu, the organised sector could also suffer the heat.

http://www.thestatesman.net/page.new...ss=1&id=190065

[HenryN]

Commentary at

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

[HenryN]

Commentary at

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

[Treyfish]

Poor hygiene makes the state vulnerable

Komal Amit Gera / New Delhi/ Chandigarh February 11, 2008

The large poultry industry in Punjab appears vulnerable to the bird flu outbreak in a similar way as it began in West Bengal. Talking to reporters here last week, officials of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) said they had investigated the poultry farms in Ludhiana, Amritsar and Chandigarh in the past few months and found gross negligence on the part of poultry farmers towards the birds.

According to them, the investigation was part of surveys carried out across the states and union territories in the country, and the situation was alarming everywhere. “Since the size of the poultry industry is large in Punjab, the scare of an outbreak was also large here,” a PETA official said.

He emphasised that the government should not pay any compensation from the tax payers’ money to the poultry farms as the bird flu spreads when the hygiene standards are not maintained during raising the poultries.

He said that standards set by the BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) were not mandatory and the poultry farms were thriving on low-cost methods adopted to raise large number of birds in filthy conditions.

Antibiotics are routinely fed to healthy livestock and poultry to make them gain weight faster and to compensate for unsanitary living conditions, the official added.

According to him, PETA had filed a report with the state animal husbandry secretary in July 2007, but did not receive any communication from the concerned department. The state poultry industry, which is worth Rs 3,500 crore per annum, provides employment to more than 300,000 people.

http://www.business-standard.com/com...eft=1&leftnm=3

[Treyfish]

Bird Flu: Vendors hit hard
Bappaditya Paul
SILIGURI, Feb. 10: Naresh Thakur has not opened his roadside stall at Alupatty in the town for the third consecutive day today. The young vendor puts up a table-stall beneath the Mahabirsthan flyover in the evenings to support his family of five by selling boiled eggs and omelette.
But since 5 February, the date the state health ministry clamped a ban on the trade of poultry items across the state, his means of survival has turned into an ‘illegal’ business, at least for the time being.
The case of Mrs Ashima Biswas who sells dim-ghugni (boiled egg and grams) by the roadside at Bidhan Market, or Mr Dilip Pal, a push-cart snacks vendor near the Meghdoot Cinema on Hill Cart Road, is also the same. The current ban on trade of poultry items in the state has hit all of them hard.
“The sales were already affected by the outbreak of bird flu. But now with the imposition of a ban on poultry trading, we literally have nothing to dish out to the customers,” lamented Mr Dilip Pal, who sells egg-rolls and other low-cost snacks, where egg and chicken are essential ingredients. The 40 plus vendor has a family of six to feed and he is the only earning member. “My daughter will sit for the Madhyamik examinations this year. If the business continues like this for a few more days, I don't know how to feed my family, leave aside supporting my daughter's education", he said.
Roughly, there are over 300 push-cart snack vendors across Siliguri, who earn their livelihood by selling low-cost snacks on the streets. If the ban on trading of poultry items continues a few more days, their families would be on the verge of starvation. http://www.thestatesman.net/page.new...ss=1&id=190103

[Treyfish]

Prices soar before Saraswati puja
Statesman News Service
KOLKATA, Feb. 10: Rising prices of vegetables and fruits, in the wake of the spread of avian influenza in the state, could hardly mar the pre-Saraswati puja preparations of Kolkatans. Moreover, the weather office's assurance of a clear sky and muck-free roads acted as the bonus... http://www.thestatesman.net/page.new...ss=1&id=190132

[mixin]

Niman,
When you put the pins in your maps, do you see any kind of spread patterns? North to south.. east to west...clusters?

[HenryN]

Originally Posted by mixin

Niman,
When you put the pins in your maps, do you see any kind of spread patterns? North to south.. east to west...clusters?

The pins are based on reports, which literally are all over the map.

[Treyfish]

Bird flu: Chicken sales drop
Srinagar, February 10
Even though there was no report of any bird flu case from any part of the Kashmir valley, the sale of chicken has come down by 35 per cent.
Still there is enough chicken stock in the valley, which remained cut off from the rest of the country for six days due to snowfall and landslides, poultry dealers said.
They said though there was no report of any bird flu case, the sale had come down by 35 to 40 per cent in the valley. Normally people were consuming about 30, 000 birds per day. However, the number goes up during marriage and festival seasons.
With the decline, import of birds from northern states, including Punjab, Haryana and Delhi, has also come down, they said.
Official sources said samples of two migratory birds found dead in a wetland near the border in Jammu tested negative in a Bhopal laboratory. The authorities have already taken adequate measures to prevent transportation of any such virus into the state. They said there was no question of bird flu virus reaching the state from West Bengal. There are several states in between which are still safe, they added.
Officials said a constant check was being carried out at different places even though there was no case of bird flu reported from any part of the state so far. The Animal Husbandry Department organised awareness camps to make people aware about various ailments afflicting cattle and poultry birds, including bird flu, in the valley. They said so far the samples taken for bird flu were found negative and there was no need to worry.
A check post has been set up at Lakhanpore, the gateway of Jammu and Kashmir, bordering Punjab, where doctors and other staff members of the Animal Husbandry Department were posted to check poultry birds before allowing them to enter the state.
Similarly a check post has been set up at Qazigund, they said, adding they had made all arrangements to prevent the virus to enter the state. However, for precautionary measures the department has decided to impose a ban on the movement of poultry during night when proper checking was almost impossible, they said. — UNI http://www.tribuneindia.com/2008/20080211/j&k.htm#8

[HenryN]

Bird flu fear in backyard
Monday February 11 2008 03:20 IST
Express News Service

BHAWANIPATNA: While deadly bird flu has gripped neighbouring state West Bengal, death of chickens in a poultry firm in Chicherla village of Kesinga block, 20 km from here, in past few days has panicked villagers.

A veterinary team visited the poultry farm and collected blood samples for investigation. Chief District Veterinary Officer Kushna Chandra Sasmal said a field investigation revealed that in last two days 70 chickens, including 15 on Sunday, died in the farm. He said from post mortem of birds and symptoms, it can be said that the chicken died due to Ranikhet disease.

However, to be sure, blood samples of dead chicken have been sent to Animal Disease Research Institute (ADRI), Phulnakhra, for further investigation. He said the poultry owner brought the chicks from West Bengal during second week of January. An investigating team from ADRI will reach Kalahandi on Monday.

The poultry owner Trinath Sahu said 1500 chicks have died in his farm during last fortnight. He said the last consignment landed on January 18.

http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems...ORISSA&Topic=0

[Treyfish]

Better safe than sorry
Amitabh Srivastava
February 9, 2008
Prevention is always better than cure. And this is why Bihar, which is yet to find a solitary case of the dreaded avian flu, has now ordered culling of chickens in poultries located in areas bordering West Bengal. The operation has been put to effect because the officials worry that the virus that has the potential to spread to humans can travel to Bihar from the affected adjoining state, West Bengal. According to experts, the H5N1 strain could mutate into a form easily transmitted from person to person, leading to a pandemic. Worse still, there are no effective vaccines available, should a situation of bird to human transmission arise. According to Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, the current drive has been initiated in line with the Central Government's direction to undertake preventive culling of birds in the districts adjoining West Bengal where over 30 lakh birds have already been culled so far. Incidentally, Modi also holds the portfolio of Animal Husbandry in Government of Bihar. Besides Bihar, the Centre has also suggested that Assam, Orissa and Jharkhand undertake culling in the districts that border West Bengal. These states have to kill the birds in villages falling within five km of their borders with West Bengal as a precautionary measure. This is being done to create a safe corridor. According to Animal Husbandry Department officials, over 12,000 chickens have already been culled in Katihar, Kishanganj and Purnia districts of Bihar over the past two days. Out of this, almost 7,000 birds have been culled in Katihar, 3,180 in Purnia and about 2,500 in Kishanganj districts, though not a single case of avian influenza has been reported from anywhere in the state so far. The process is still on. Animal Husbandry Principal Secretary Anil Kumar said personal protective equipment have been made available to the teams deployed in the culling exercise. "1.5 per cent of the culled poultry would be randomly picked and sent for laboratory examination," he said. Animal husbandry officials said that the culling operations have been undertaken in as many as 19 blocks of Purnia, Katihar and Kishanganj districts in compliance with a Health Ministry directive to Bihar. The Bihar Government has deputed the state's director of animal husbandry at Katihar to oversee the culling exercise. The culling teams, however, have also been tasked to comb the households in villages for chickens and ducks that have survived the culling. In some areas, the number of residual birds could run into hundreds, said an official. But even after the mop-up and disinfection, no poultry would be allowed in the zones where culling has been done for three months, the officer added. The 90-day ban on poultry in the affected areas will prevent any virus that might be lingering in the environment from getting a fresh chance to infect and multiply in birds, he added. Earlier, the culling of chickens was ordered in seven villages of Azamnagar block in Katihar district after the bird flu outbreak in West Bengal. The border areas of Purnia, Kishanganj and Katihar have been hit by a panic wave ever since West Bengal declared the avian flu outbreak on January 15 and sales of chicken and eggs have plummeted there. Not surprisingly, chicken delicacies have now disappeared from food plates across the state, and a number of marriage ceremonies now are having a menu change with mutton and fish preparations replacing the chicken items. Chicken traders in Patna, however, are working overtime to convince its patron that processed (cooked) chicken could be bought and consumed. "Unlike bacteria, a virus cannot infect dead organisms," they claimed. The argument, however, has cut little ice so far. A number of villagers in these three districts, however, have blamed the state government for not informing them about the hazards of bird flu as dozens admitted roasting birds and eating them. The virus is usually passed on through close contact with infected birds and their faeces. The World Health Organization has said it was India's most serious outbreak. Joint Director of the Union Animal Husbandry department M.K. Agnihotri is camping in Purnia to supervise the culling operation and measures are being taken to prevent an outbreak of avian flu in Bihar. Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi said that Rapid Response Teams in these three districts have been formed and 650 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) have been sent to the teams culling the birds. According to him 10,000 doses of Temi Flu medicine has also been sent to the districts concerned. He said that in Bihar, breeding of chickens was largely unorganised and done in backyards. This is why the officials have been asked to seek cooperation from the panchayats in Katihar, Purnia and Kishanganj for effective culling of the birds. The State Government has also announced compensation rates according to which poultry owners whose birds have been culled would be paid Rs 40 per bird for poultry birds, Rs 30 for broiler and Rs 10 for chicks. This is likely to be raised because a number of poultry owners have shown extreme reluctance in allowing the culling operation because of inadequate compensation, said an official. Incidentally, the Centre has already enhanced the compensation given to farmers for culled poultry birds. The new rate would be applicable with prospective effect. The new compensation rates envisage a Rs 10 hike for a lair, broiler and chick. Ducks and geese will fetch Rs 75 each against Rs 40 earlier. The compensation for a turkey is set at Rs 160. Meanwhile, district magistrates of the concerned districts have been tasked to oversee the culling operation. "Besides, two senior officials of the animal husbandry department have been deputed to monitor the culling process in these districts," Modi said. These measures obviously have been initiated to prevent the similar outbreak of bird flu in Bihar, something that is threatening to spiral out of control in neighbouring West Bengal where the disease apparently has continued to spread. Incidentally, the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu has been found among poultry in West Bengal's Malda district. This assumes special significance for Jharkhand that shares borders with West Bengal from that side and also because poultry transportation between the two states is not uncommon. Meanwhile, Nepal has banned the import of poultry products from neighbour Indian states, including Bihar. Similarly, Bihar too has banned import of poultry from West Bengal. On the ground, however, it is difficult to clamp the import because there is no checkpost, and there is no such border between the districts which are seemingly affected or on threat radar, and those which are not. Veterinarians and scientists said infected birds could have been smuggled out of the affected districts. Orders, however, have been issued to seal its borders to prevent the entry of poultry from the eastern region of the country especially West Bengal, which is fighting its worst ever outbreak of bird flu. A section of officials also admitted that the culling was slow, while some disease experts said the government had reacted too late.

http://indiatoday.digitaltoday.in/in...id=39&Itemid=1

[Treyfish]

Poultry death
Krishnagar: About 1,500 chickens have died over the past two days in a farm in Ranaghat, about 65km from Calcutta. The poultry owner had dumped the dead chickens and 1,500 live birds in a septic tank. Samples from the dead birds have been sent for tests. http://www.telegraphindia.com/108021..._8888214.jsp#2

[mixin]

Originally Posted by niman

The pins are based on reports, which literally are all over the map.

I spent time yesterday viewing your India map and that was why I asked. Since the heaviest part of poultry deaths goes pretty much straight north out of Calcutta, I was wondering if you noticed any pattern emerging as you pinned the outbreaks.

I thought the 1-28 outbreak in 107 villages in West Mednipur seemed a little isolated; so I zoomed in and found railroad tracks intersected in that area. WHen I saw that was where the dead goats were, I wondered if they had some contamination problems going on also. I also found it curious they culled along the railroad (at least it appears that way on your map) between Kharagpur, Beli and Bali-Chak.

[ironorehopper]

From OIE Website:
--
Highly pathogenic avian influenza, India


Information received on 09/02/2008 from Dr Pradeep Kumar, Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture, New Delhi, India

Summary

Report type ::Follow-up report No. 1 ::
Start date ::04/01/2008 ::
Date of first confirmation of the event ::15/01/2008 ::
Report date ::09/02/2008 ::
Date submitted to OIE ::09/02/2008 ::
Reason for notification Reoccurrence of a listed disease
Date of previous occurrence 02/08/2007
Manifestation of disease Clinical disease
Causal agent Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus Serotype H5N1
Nature of diagnosis Laboratory (basic), Laboratory (advanced)
This event pertains to a defined zone within the country
Related reports Immediate notification (15/01/2008)
Follow-up report No. 1 (09/02/2008)

New outbreaks

*Outbreak 1 - Siti-I, Sagardighi, Beldanga-I, Murshidabad, WEST BENGAL
Date of start of the outbreak 17/01/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
*Birds - 864512 - 3557 - 3557 - 3181
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in small and marginal farms in three villages

*Outbreak 2 - Krishnanagar-I, Nakashapara, Haringhata, Nadia, WEST BENGAL
Date of start of the outbreak 19/01/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
*Birds - 215840 - 615 - 615 - 27884
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in small and marginal farms in three villages

*Outbreak 3 - Panchla, Howrah, WEST BENGAL
Date of start of the outbreak 26/01/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
*Birds - 126301 - 235 - 235 - 126066
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in small and marginal farms

*Outbreak 4 - Khagram, Burdwan, Nowda, Nabagram, Murshidabad, WEST BENGAL
Date of start of the outbreak 15/01/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
*Birds - 963331 - 12194 - 12194 - 323
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in small and marginal farms in four villages

*Outbreak 5 - Balagarh, Hooghly, WEST BENGAL
Date of start of the outbreak 23/01/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
*Birds - 114927
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in small and marginal farms

*Outbreak 6 - Kandi, Murshidabad, WEST BENGAL
Date of start of the outbreak 21/01/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed -Slaughtered
*Birds - 308278 - 10889 - 10889 - 297389
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in small and marginal farms

*Outbreak 7 - Kalyani, Nadia, WEST BENGAL
Date of start of the outbreak 26/01/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
*Birds - 233125 - 9 - 9 - 233116
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in small and marginal farms

*Outbreak 8 - Chachal-I, Malda, WEST BENGAL
Date of start of the outbreak 19/01/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
*Birds - 229957
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in small and marginal farms

*Outbreak 9 - Krishnanagar-I, Tehatta-I, Kaliganj, Nadia, WEST BENGAL
Date of start of the outbreak 17/01/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
*Birds - 622774 - 613 - 613 - 856 - 0
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in small and marginal farms in three villages

*Outbreak 10 - Mayureswar II, Khoirasole, Birbhum, WEST BENGAL
Date of start of the outbreak 22/01/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
*Birds - 328380 - 2840 - 2840 - 325540
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in small and marginal farms in two villages

*Outbreak 11 - Tehatta-II, Nadia, WEST BENGAL
Date of start of the outbreak 15/01/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
*Birds - 118255 - 1057 - 1057 - 113
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in small and marginal farms

*Outbreak 12 - Nalhatti-I, Bolpur-Sriniketan, Birbhum, WEST BENGAL
Date of start of the outbreak 19/01/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
*Birds - 205353 - 863 - 863 - 95770
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in small and marginal farms in two villages

*Outbreak 13 - Suri-I, Mayureshwar I, Nanur, Birbhum, WEST BENGAL
Date of start of the outbreak 26/01/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
*Birds - 372711 - 25 - 25 - 124402
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in small and marginal farms in three villages

*Outbreak 14 - Mangolkote, Purbasthali II, Burdwan, WEST BENGAL
Date of start of the outbreak 15/01/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
*Birds - 467973 - 9592 - 9592
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in small and marginal farms in two villages

*Outbreak 15 - Raniganj, Burdwan, WEST BENGAL
Date of start of the outbreak 23/01/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
*Birds - 76707 - ... - 76707
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in small and marginal farms

*Outbreak 16 - Mayureswar-I, Birbhum, WEST BENGAL
Date of start of the outbreak 25/01/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
*Birds - 210236 - 53 - 53 - 210183 - 0
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in small and marginal farms

*Outbreak 17 - Caning-2, South 24 Parganas, WEST BENGAL
Date of start of the outbreak 25/01/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
*Birds - 93981 - 2012 - 2012 - 91969
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in small and marginal farms

*Outbreak 18 - Saltora, Bankura, WEST BENGAL
Date of start of the outbreak 17/01/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
*Birds - 64473 - 400 - 400
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in small and marginal farms

*Outbreak 19 - Shamsirganj, Murshidabad, WEST BENGAL
Date of start of the outbreak 25/01/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
*Birds - 211920 - 1975 - 1975 - 209945 - 0
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in small and marginal farms

*Outbreak 20 - Mejia, Bankura, WEST BENGAL
Date of start of the outbreak 19/01/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
*Birds - ... - 380 - 380 - 800
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in small and marginal farms

*Outbreak 21 - Santuri, Purulia, WEST BENGAL
Date of start of the outbreak 22/01/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
*Birds - 33285 - 130 - 130
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in small and marginal farms

*Outbreak 22 - Chanditala-II, Hooghly, WEST BENGAL
Date of start of the outbreak 26/01/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
*Birds - 35917 - 69 - 69 - 35848
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in small and marginal farms

*Outbreak 23 - Mohammed Bazar, Nanur, Birbhum, WEST BENGAL
Date of start of the outbreak 17/01/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
*Birds - 378551 - 41500 - 41500 - 85657
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in small and marginal farms in two villages

*Outbreak 24 - Mathabhanga-I, Coochbehar, WEST BENGAL
Date of start of the outbreak 25/01/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
*Birds - 28159 - 300 - 300 - 27859
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in small and marginal farms

*Outbreak 25 - Raghunathganj-II, Murshidabad, WEST BENGAL
Date of start of the outbreak 26/01/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
*Birds - 73342 - 469 - 469 - 72873
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in small and marginal farms

*Outbreak 26 - Budge-Budge-II, South 24 Parganas, WEST BENGAL
Date of start of the outbreak 25/01/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
*Birds - ... - 1188 - 1188
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in small and marginal farms

*Outbreak 27 - Dinhata-I, Coochbehar, WEST BENGAL
Date of start of the outbreak 23/01/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
*Birds - 312640
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in small and marginal farms

*Outbreak 28 - Suri-I, Birbhum, WEST BENGAL
Date of start of the outbreak 26/01/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
*Birds - 14913 - ... - 14913
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in small and marginal farms

*Outbreak 29 - Sankrail, Howrah, WEST BENGAL
Date of start of the outbreak 22/01/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
*Birds - 106270 - 235 - 235
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in small and marginal farms

*Outbreak 30 - Ktugram, Jamuria, Galsi, Burdwan, WEST BENGAL
Date of start of the outbreak 19/01/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
*Birds - 227951 - ... - 90905
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in small and marginal farms in three villages

*Outbreak 31 - Debra, Paschim Mednipur, WEST BENGAL
Date of start of the outbreak 25/01/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Village
Affected animals: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
* Birds ...
Affected population backyard poultry mainly in small and marginal farms

Summary of outbreaks
Total outbreaks: 31
Total animals affected: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
*Birds - 7,040,062 - 91,200 - 91,200 - 2,152,299 - 0

Outbreak statistics
Species - Apparent morbidity rate - Apparent mortality rate - Apparent case fatality rate - Proportion susceptible animals lost*
*Birds - 1.30% - 1.30% - 100.00% - 31.87%
* Removed from the susceptible population through death, destruction and/or slaughter


Epidemiology
Source of the outbreak(s) or origin of infection Unknown or inconclusive

Epidemiological comments
Epidemiological investigation is ongoing. Stamping out of all domestic poultry is being applied in an approximately 5-km-radius zone around the outbreaks followed by compensation of the owners. An intensive surveillance campaign has been launched in a 10-km-radius zone including:
- closure of poultry markets and prohibition on sale and transportation of poultry products in the infected zone;
- disinfection of premises after culling and sealing of premises where appropriate.
Restocking will be applied in accordance with a specific protocol.


Control measures
Measures applied Stamping out
Quarantine
Movement control inside the country
Screening
No vaccination
No treatment of affected animals

Measures to be applied Disinfection of infected premises/establishment(s)
Dipping / Spraying


Diagnostic test results
Laboratory name and type High Security Animal Disease Laboratory, Bhopal (National laboratory)
Tests and results: Species - Test - Test date - Result
*Birds - real-time PCR - 19/01/2008 - Positive
*Birds - real-time PCR - 20/01/2008 - Positive
*Birds - real-time PCR - 22/01/2008 - Positive
*Birds - real-time PCR - 23/01/2008 - Positive
*Birds - real-time PCR - 25/01/2008 - Positive
*Birds - real-time PCR - 27/01/2008 - Positive
*Birds - real-time PCR - 29/01/2008 - Positive
*Birds - real-time PCR - 30/01/2008 - Positive
*Birds - real-time PCR - 02/02/2008 - Positive
*Birds - reverse transcription – polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) - 19/01/2008 - Positive
*Birds - reverse transcription – polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) - 20/01/2008 - Positive
*Birds - reverse transcription – polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) - 22/01/2008 - Positive
*Birds - reverse transcription – polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) - 23/01/2008 - Positive
*Birds - reverse transcription – polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) - 25/01/2008 - Positive
*Birds - reverse transcription – polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) - 27/01/2008 - Positive
*Birds - reverse transcription – polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) - 29/01/2008 - Positive
*Birds - reverse transcription – polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) - 30/01/2008 - Positive
*Birds - reverse transcription – polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) - 02/02/2008 - Positive
*Birds - virus isolation - 19/01/2008 - Positive
*Birds - virus isolation - 20/01/2008 - Positive
*Birds - virus isolation - 22/01/2008 - Positive

-
http://www.oie.int/wahid-prod/public...&reportid=6783
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[HenryN]

Team from Un to monitor flu status Statesman News Service MALDA, Feb. 11: "An experts' team from the United Nations' regional office of Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Bangkok will visit Bird Flu affected areas in West Bengal including areas of Chanchal sub-division in Malda district", administrative officials said today. The team will pay attention to the contamination control programme in the affected areas after the outbreak of avian influenza. The team headed by Mr S Morzaria, chief technical advisor, regional office, FAO, Bangkok , would visit Malda's affected areas tentatively on Wednesday. The team is scheduled to reach West Bengal on Monday and would visit all the affected areas in the state.", Mr Debasish Sarkar, SDO, Chanchal said. The state authorities have directed the district administration to prepare required reports on the Bird Flu affected areas and the control programme taken up after culling operation and mopping up for the experts' team. It may be noted that after unnatural deaths of hundreds of backyard chickens at Mahanandapur village in Chanchal Block-I last month, in the northern part of the district, the High Security Animal Disease laboratory (HSADL) in Bhopal had confirmed avian flu. The state authorities finally had culled more than 86,000 backyard chickens in the region covering 5 km radius from the epicenter Mahanandapur in Malda and North Dinajpur areas. But the area within 5 km radius belonging to Katihar district in Bihar was reportedly left out while the culling operation was going on in West Bengal areas. "The staff from animal resources development and labourers directly engaged in culling and mopping were quarantined for 10 days and many of them released on 10 February. "Only 15 people, who were engaged in the mopping drive during the second phase to kill left out birds in Chanchal Block , have been quarantined and they would be released on 15 and 16 February", district officials said. According to the Malda chief medical officer, no cases of human avian flu have been detected in this region after a door to door survey was conducted. Following government's direction, the district administration has started another joint survey comprising ARD officials and local panchayat officials to finalise the list of beneficiaries to provide compensation in the Bird Flu affected zone here.

http://www.thestatesman.net/page.new...ss=1&id=190265

[AlaskaDenise]

Originally Posted by niman

Commentary at

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

Commentary

Suspect H5N1 in Nadia West Bengal

Recombinomics Commentary 18:18
February 10, 2008

over 1,300 chickens died of a mysterious disease in different poultry farms in Ranaghat-II block in Nadia. The symptoms of the disease are similar to avian influenza. The district authorities sent a team to collect samples and take note of the situation.

The above comments describe suspect H5N1 deaths in Nadia, West Bengal. Although there has been extensive culling in India in the region, H5N1 confirmations have been high in adjacent Bangladesh, in poultry and wild birds (see satellite maps here here here)

The likelihood that culling and border sealing will stop the spread is low. The most effective halt of confirmed H5N1 has been to limit testing.


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[AlaskaDenise]

Originally Posted by niman

Commentary at

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

Commentary

Suspect H5N1 in Orissa India

Recombinomics Commentary 22:52
February 10, 2008

Official sources , including KC Sasmal, chief district veterinary officer confirmed reports of bird deaths at a farm near Kesinga. "At least 55 birds have died over two days",he said.

The above comments describe suspect H5N1 in Orissa (see satellite maps here here here). Orissa has not confirmed H5N1, although there have been excessive poultry deaths in border areas and a precautionary cull has been ordered. The deaths described above are well south of the border with West Bengal, and would cause alarm if H5N1 was verified.

The level of H5N1 in west Bengal poultry and wild birds suggests that the culling in West Bengal and Bangladesh will not prevent H5N1 from spreading into adjacent regions, with or without border culling.


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[HenryN]

Commentary

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