India: Assam, AVIAN INFLUENZA A/H5N1 IN POULTRY (December 2008+)

[HenryN]

Bird flu in city; admn restrict sale and purchase of poultry

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Editor 11 December, 2008 10:41:00
The killer bird flu is dispersing to some more areas that could force the authorities to expand the culling operation.

According to information, in the city also bird flu is being detected in Khanapara area. After being confirmed it, the Kamrup district administration has banned import and export of poultry. In the same order, sale and purchase of poultry and eggs have been banned.

Similar restrictions have been passed by Dibrugarh distirct administration in upper Assam in view of the outbreak of bird flu in the upper Assam district.

http://www.assamtimes.org/hot-news/2428.html

[HenryN]

Bird flu wreaks havoc in Assam, spreads to new areas 11 Dec 2008, 0908 hrs IST, IANS

GUWAHATI: The deadly bird flu virus is spreading to new areas in the northeastern state of Assam although over 200,000 poultry have been culled in the past two weeks, officials said on Thursday. "Already about 200,000 poultry has been culled in the past two weeks since the outbreak of the bird flu virus," Parthajyoti Gogoi, a central health ministry official, said. "It is a matter of worry with the virus now spreading to new areas and hence a maximum health alert has been sounded. Teams of doctors and paramedics are taking precautionary measures so that humans are not affected," Gogoi added. "Bird flu has struck six of the 27 districts in Assam so far. An estimated 150,000 more poultry have been ordered to be killed," a veterinary official said. The districts hit by bird flu are Kamrup (Metro), Kamrup (Rural), Dibrugarh, Nalbari, Barpeta and Chirang. Culling is being carried out in about 200 villages in the six districts. The poultry targeted includes ducks and chickens. Authorities have imposed a ban on sale of poultry and poultry products in most parts of Assam after the bird flu outbreak. "About 100 Rapid Response Teams comprising about seven personnel, including a veterinarian, are engaged in the culling drive. The operation is expected to continue for about a week to 10 days until the entire area is depopulated of the estimated 150,000 poultry," the veterinary official said. The central health ministry confirmed the outbreak of bird flu after laboratory tests found strains of the deadly H5N1 avian influenza. Assam's veterinary and animal husbandry department has sounded an alert and is maintaining strict surveillance on farms in the state, with veterinarians carrying out checks on all poultry. A central health ministry team is also assisting the local authorities in the culling operations. The World Health Organization fears that the H5N1 strain could mutate into a form easily transmitted between humans and spark a pandemic.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/I...ow/3821692.cms

[HenryN]

Bird flu spreads further in Assam districts




Tags: Assam , Guwahati , Bird flu


^{Published: Thu, 11 Dec 2008 at 13:13 IST}

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Guwahati, Dec 11: Bird flu has further spread to new areas of Assam with Dibrugarh, Goalpara and Bongaigaon districts coming under its grip.

Cases of bird flu virus attack on poultry was detected in the municipal ward number six of Dibrugarh town, about 400 km from Hajo near Guwahati.

The virus of the dreaded avain influenza was first detected in Hajo of lower Assam's Kamrup (Rural) district early this month.

Later the virus was also found at state Veterinary Department-run Khanapara Central Seed Rearing Farm of the Veterinary Department here, Nilibari village of Chirang district and Jalah village of Kamrup (Rural) district. The virus has also spread to Nalbari, Barpeta and Baksa districts, sources said.

Meanwhile, prohibitory orders banning sale, purchase of poultry and eggs either cooked or raw has been imposed in Guwahati and Kamrup (Metro) district which comprises Guwahati and adjoining areas.

Culling of poultry, ducks and other birds has been continuing in the affected districts with over 1.5 lakh birds been killed so far. Mopping up and sprinkling of disinfectants have been continuing, sources said.

Migratory birds and movement of infected birds may have caused the rapid spread of the disease, sources added.

http://www.samaylive.com/news/bird-f...ts/601116.html

[ironorehopper]

INDIA: AVIAN INFLUENZA H5N1 POULTRY EPIZOOTICS IN ASSAM, UPDATE (12/11/2008) [GOVT OF INDIA]

Original PDF document available at LINK

From TABLES

From TABLES

[Dutchy]

Bird flu spreads rapidly in Assam; fears of human infection

Guwahati, Dec 11 : Bird flu virus has spread with alarming rapidity across Assam to reach upper Assam’s Dibrugarh district within 15 days after the virus was confirmed in lower Assam districts even as fears of human infection were aired by the state government.


The dreaded avian was yesterday confirmed in Khanapara Central Seed Rearing Farm of the Veterinary department here, Dibrugarh municipality area and Sidli block of Chirang district, with the virus now confirmed in six districts.

The H5N1 virus was first detected in Hajo area of Kamrup (rural) district in last week of November and it has since spread across Kamrup, rural as well as metro, districts, Nalbari, Barpeta, Chirang and Dibrugarh districts.

Culling operations were on in full swing, state Health Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sharma informed, with over 3 lakh poultry targeted to be culled, with the figure to go up after the outbreak in Khanapara, Dibrugarh and Chirang yesterday.

Close to 2.5 lakh poultry has been culled so far, with rapid response teams deputed for all affected areas and government monitoring the situation on a daily basis.

Ban on sale and movement of poultry and poultry-related products from affected areas has been imposed and all district administrations were asked to keel strict vigil, Dr Sharma said.

Fears of human infection has strengthened with the rapid spread of the virus and the government was going for a massive publicity drive, appealing the farmers to hand over their poultry for culling in all affected areas as well as urging people across the state to be alert for Upper Respiratory Infection syndromes, the main symptom of bird flu infection in humans.

The Health department is not completely equipped to handle a massive outbreak of the virus in humans.

If humans gets contaminated, it would be a worst disaster than floods or blasts, the Health minister said.

He said Tamilflu capsules were being stocked, but only about 50 per cent infected patients respond to the treatment.

Prevention is the best possible cure and we appeal for cooperation, he added.

Dr Sharma said several people with URI were examined in the affected areas but no cases of human contamination were detected.

http://www.newkerala.com/topstory-fullnews-59147.html

[HenryN]

Bird flu may pose major threat if birds not culled: Minister

Guwahati, Dec 11: With the avian flu spreading to nine districts in Assam, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma Thursday warned that the disease could become a major disaster for human beings if poultry are not allowed to be culled.

The Minister said, "Active surveillance of the population was on in the nine affected districts."

As many as 82 cases with people having upper respiratory infection (URI) were reported since the outbreak of the disease early this month, but were not stated be be bird flu cases. URI is one of the symptoms of the disease," the Minister said.

"Though they were ruled out to be suffering from the disease, the symptoms are alarming and all the people with URI were being scrutinised," he added.

"People are taking the disease very casually. Chicken and ducks are kept away from culling without realising the implications of the seriousness of the disease," Sarma told reporters here today.

"We will not be able to handle if the disease spreads to humans from the birds on a full-fledged level. The way the disease is spreading, it will be a major disaster than bomb blasts or floods," Sarma asserted.

"The human disaster will be immense. The health department is ready to handle 100 to 200 cases. The department is very worried about human transmission of the disease as it is not 100 per cent equipped to handle a largescale outbreak as there are no isolation facilities here," he said.

Bureau Report

http://www.zeenews.com/states/2008-1...90103news.html

[HenryN]

Commentary

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/12...1_Assam_9.html

[HenryN]

Bird flu hits Guwahati, panic spreads
Guwahati | Thursday, Dec 11 2008 IST


Culling operations began this morning in the central dairy farm of Guwahati as it was officially confirmed last night that Bird Flu has hit Assam.
Additional District Magistrate of Kamrup C P Ramchairy informed that sale of poultry products had been banned and some trucks carrying eggs coming to Guwahati had been stopped.
Culling operation began from this morning triggering panic in the city. Government spokesman Himanta Biswa Sarma, however, assured the people that the situation was under control.
The dreaded Avian flu had spread to several new areas in the state.
According to official sources, the virus had been found in the poultry populations of Municipal Ward Number six of Dibrugarh, Jalah village of Bejera area in Kamrup district, Khanapara Central Seed Rearing Farm here of the Veterinary Department and Nalbari village of Chirang district.
The Kamrup (Metro) district administration today prohibited the movement, sale, purchase and transportation of poultry and all types of poultry products, either in cooked or raw form within the district area.
But sale has been going on all over. Meanwhile, culling operations in the affected areas of Kamrup (Rural), Kamrup (Metro), Barpeta and Nalbari districts were on, while in the Hajo revenue circle area of Kamrup district, disinfection operations were on.
Asked for their observation on the rapid spread of the disease, experts here suspected that migratory birds might have spread the virus and in cases of the sites where wetlands are not located in the adjacent areas, the virus might have spread from the birds transported from the affected areas.

-- (UNI) -- 11CA11.xml

http://news.webindia123.com/news/Art...1/1126111.html

[HenryN]

Bird flu could spread to humans in Assam, warns health minister
December 11th, 2008 - 9:22 pm ICT by IANS -
Guwahati, Dec 11 (IANS) The Assam health department Thursday expressed serious fears about strains of the deadly bird flu virus spreading to humans and sparking a pandemic in the northeastern state.”We are really worried about the bird flu virus spreading to humans as the strains transmit rapidly. We don’t know for sure if at all our health department would be able to cope if such a thing happens,” Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told journalists.
“We want the people of Assam to cooperate with the veterinary department so that the culling operations are carried out properly. Otherwise, we might face a disaster,” he said.
The bird flu virus has spread across six Assam districts and authorities have claimed it has assumed an epidemic proportion.
More than 250,000 poultry birds have been culled in the past two weeks in Assam.
“Bird flu has struck six of the 27 districts in Assam so far with an estimated 150,000 more poultry ordered to be killed,” a senior veterinary official said.
The districts hit by bird flu are Kamrup (Metro), Kamrup (Rural), Dibrugarh, Nalbari, Barpeta, and Chirang.
The poultry targeted includes ducks and chickens. Authorities have imposed a ban on sale of poultry and poultry products in most parts of Assam after the bird flu outbreak.
Culling is being carried out in 200 villages in the six Assam districts. About 400 Rapid Response Teams, each comprising about seven personnel, including a veterinarian, are engaged in the culling drive, which is expected to continue for about a week to 10 days until the entire area is cleaned of the estimated 150,000 poultry left, the official said.
“It is a matter of worry with the virus now spreading to new areas and hence a maximum health alert was sounded with teams of doctors and paramedics taking precautionary measures so that humans are not affected,” Parthajyoti Gogoi, central health ministry official, said.
The Indian health ministry confirmed outbreak of bird flu after laboratory tests found strains of the deadly H5N1 avian influenza.
Assam’s veterinary and animal husbandry department has sounded an alert and is maintaining strict surveillance on farms in the state with veterinarians carrying out checks on all poultry. A central health ministry team is also assisting the local authorities in the culling operations.
The World Health Organization fears that the H5N1 strain could mutate into a form easily transmitted between humans and spark a deadly pandemic.
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/...100129887.html

[HenryN]

Bird Flu Wreaks Havoc In Assam, Spreads To New Areas
Last Updated: 11-12-2008 13:51:03 IST

The deadly H5N1 avian influenza virus which causes bird flu is spreading to new areas of Assam. Official report says that in the past two weeks over 200,000 poultry have been culled in various affected areas of the state but the disease is griping up new areas, every day. Interacting with the media, Parthajyoti Gogoi, a central health ministry official said that maximum health alert has been sounded in the state following the unstoppable spread of bird flu virus.

According to Gogoi, teams of doctors and paramedics in the state are taking precautionary measures so that humans do not get affected by bird flu virus. Reports confirm that bird flu has engulfed a total of six districts of Assam. A state veterinary official revealed that about 150,000 more poultry would be culled in coming days. The districts of Kamrup (Metro), Kamrup (Rural), Dibrugarh, Nalbari, Barpeta and Chirang were hit by bird flu. Culling is being carried out in about 200 villages in the six districts.

After the outbreak of bird flu in Assam, the state authorities have imposed a ban on sale of poultry and poultry products in most parts of the state. Apart from it, bird flu menace has injected a sense of fear in the minds of the people of Assam. Informing about the culling of poultry, the state veterinary official said that about 100 rapid response teams have been given the responsibility to flush out the affected poultry of the region.

The outbreak of bird flu was declared after laboratory tests found strains of the deadly H5N1 avian influenza. The World Health Organization fears that the H5N1 strain could mutate into a form easily transmitted between humans and spark a pandemic. The state authority has instructed veterinary and animal husbandry department to maintain strict surveillance on farms, with veterinarians carrying out checks on all poultry.

http://www.india-server.com/news/bir...eads-5101.html

[HenryN]

'Bird Flu Can Get Bigger Than Bomb Blasts'

Guwahati, December 11 (PTI) With the avian flu spreading to nine districts in Assam, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday warned that the disease could become a major disaster for human beings if poultry are not allowed to be culled. The minister said, "active surveillance of the population was on in the nine affected districts." As many as 82 cases with people having upper respiratory infection (URI) were reported since the outbreak of the disease early this month, but were not stated be be bird flu cases. URI is one of the symptoms of the disease," the minister said. "Though they were ruled out to be suffering from the disease, the symptoms are alarming and all the people with URI were being scrutinised," he added. "People are taking the disease very casually. Chicken and ducks are kept away from culling without realising the implications of the seriousness of the disease," Sarma told reporters. "We will not be able to handle if the disease spreads to humans from the birds on a full-fledged level. The way the disease is spreading, it will be a major disaster than bomb blasts or floods," Sarma asserted. "The human disaster will be immense. The health department is ready to handle 100 to 200 cases. The department is very worried about human transmission of the disease as it is not 100 per cent equipped to handle a largescale outbreak as there are no isolation facilities here," he said. "Therefore, people and poultry farmers, who may also be affected, should cooperate to prevent spread of the disease by allowing the culling of their birds," he appealed. Though Tamiflu was the prescribed medicine for bird flu treatment in humans, Sarma said, only 40 per cent to 50 per cent people responded to the treatment leaving the rest to be victims of the fatal disease. The affected districts are Kamrup (Rural), Kamrup (Metro), including Guwahati, Barpeta, Nalbari, Chirang, Baksa, Dibrugarh, Goalpara and Bongaigaon. The disease, starting from Hajo revenue circle in Kamrup (rural) district, about 20 km from here, on December 2, had spread to Guwahati in Kamrup (Metro) district, Nalbari, Barpeta, Chirang, Baksa, Bongaigaon and Goalpara districts in Lower Assam spreading to Dibrugarh district in Upper Assam. The Department of Animal Husbandry had notified avian influenza in the districts where sale, purchase and movement of poultry were banned, the minister said. During active surveillance of the population in the affected areas, Sarma said, the cases of URI with fever were reported, but no cases of influenza such as illness with history of contact with infected or dead poultry have been detected. Regarding URI cases, he said, in worst affected Kamrup (rural) district 4 cases were reported in Hajo block, 14 cases in Rampur block, 2 in Azara/Rani block, besides 60 in Barpeta district and two in Nalbari district. "Therefore, people and poultry farmers, who may also be affected, should cooperate to prevent spread of the disease by allowing the culling of their birds," he appealed.

http://www.outlookindia.com/pti_news...d=51&id=645215

[ironorehopper]

Avian Influenza - Situation in India: 11 December 2008 [WHO]

Avian Influenza - Situation in India

11 December 2008 – India

Fresh outbreak of poultry AI in India

The Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries in the Agriculture Ministry has confirmed of a fresh outbreak of High Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1) in Barpeta, Nalbari and Kamrup districts in India’s north east state of Assam.

The High Security Animal Disease Laboratory of Bhopal confirmed the outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1.

Local authorities have started culling within the five-km radius of the infected villages.

The situation is being monitored.

Between January and May this year, 42 incidents of bird flu were reported from West Bengal and Tripura.

For further information, please visit the following websites:
Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India www.dahd.nic.in
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India www.mohfw.nic.in
-

Avian Influenza - Situation in India: 11 December 2008

[HenryN]

Bird flu spreads its wings, affects nine Assam districts

Guwahati, Dec 11: With the avian influenza spreading to fresh areas, nine Assam districts are now bird flu affected and Health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday warned that it could become a major human disaster.

The affected districts were Kamrup (Rural), Kamrup (Metro), Barpeta, Nalbari, Chirang, Baksa, Dibrugarh, Goalpara and Bongaigaon, official sources said.

Sale of poultry and eggs, either cooked or raw, has been banned in Guwahati and Kamrup (Metro) district which comprises Guwahati and adjoining areas.

Culling of poultry, ducks and other birds has been continuing in the affected districts with over 1.5 lakh birds killed so far, the sources said.

"People are taking the disease very casually. Chicken and ducks are being kept away from culling without realising the seriousness of the disease," Sarma told reporters here.

"We will not be able to handle it, if the disease spreads to humans from the birds. The way the disease is spreading, it will be a greater disaster than bomb blasts or floods," Sarma said.

"The human disaster will be immense. The health department is very worried about human transmission of the disease as it is not 100 percent equipped to handle a largescale outbreak as there are no isolation facilities here," he said.

The disease, starting from Hajo revenue circle in Kamrup(Rural) district about 20 km from here on December 2 and spread to Guwahati in Kamrup (Metro) district, Nalbari, Barpeta, Chirang, Baksa, Bongaigaon and Goalpara districts in Lower Assam spreading to Dibrugarh district in Upper Assam.

Meghalaya prepares for culling

Taking in view that the bird flu is spreading to new areas in neighbouring Assam, Meghalaya banned the entry of poultry and poultry products from Assam and Bangladesh.

"The ban comes into force with immediate effect. However, the ban does not imply to the sale of poultry and poultry products produced within the state," a Veterinary Department release here said.

A senior Veterinary official told media that they were preparing to cull birds and poultry in the bordering areas with Assam as soon as the Centre asks to do so.

"Normally culling operations are done in a radius of 3 km of the place of disease outbreak. With the bird flu outbreak in Assam's Khanapara, lying along Assam-Meghalaya border, it is likely that culling would be done in the bordering areas of Meghalaya too," he said.

Deputy Commissioner of Ri Bhoi district that borders Khanapara in Assam's Kamrup (Rural) district is on a visit to the bordering areas along with a team of Veterinary officials to take stock of the situation.

The government has set up control rooms in all districts to facilitate information to the poultry farms.

Veterinary officials have been regularly adopting measures to prevent spread of the disease into the state and Deputy Commissioners of all the districts have been alerted, sources said.

Meghalaya already has in place 150 rapid response teams along with 2,170 personnel protective equipment that were constituted last year after the outbreak of avian flu in West Bengal.

http://www.zeenews.com/states/2008-1...90211news.html

[HenryN]

Front Page

Bird flu spreads to new areas in Assam

Sushanta Talukdar







Guwahati: The Assam government is taking urgent steps to cull birds in the areas affected by bird flu.
Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) of the Veterinary Department on Thursday began culling operations in the Khanapara area. The process will begin in upper Assam’s Dibrugarh district and lower Assam’s Chirang district on Friday, after bird flu was detected in these new areas.
The virus has already spread to six districts — Kamrup, Nalbari, Barpeta, Kamrup (Metropolitan), Dibrugarh and Chirang. Till Thursday over 2.5 lakh birds have been culled.
Veterinary Director Ashwini Kataki told The Hindu that 73 RRTs were being engaged in culling operations. The State had a total of 426 RRTs.
Mr. Kataki said the Hajo area of Kamrup district — where the virus was first detected in tests conducted by the Bhopal-based High Security Animal Disease Laboratory — would be completely depopulated of poultry birds by Friday. The culling in Barpeta and Nalbari districts was also expected to be completed in another two days.
The authorities in all the six affected districts have banned the sale and movement of chicken, ducks or any poultry product. However, the ban is yet to be fully enforced as poultry products brought from other districts or outside the State can still be seen in markets.
Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma appealed to the people to cooperate in culling operations.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/12/12/stor...1255171200.htm

[HenryN]

Respiratory tract infection cases coming in
Staff reporter
GUWAHATI, Dec 11 – “The State Health Department is not fully equipped to meet a situation if the bird flu transmits to humans in a full-fledged manner. If it turns to be a disaster, we don’t have the facilities to face it,” said Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at a press conference here this morning.

“Once the disease transmits to humans in a full-fledged manner, then there will be a major disaster,” he warned and made an appeal to the poultry farmers not to take the phenomenon casually, expressing concern over the indifference shown to it by some farmers. The poultry farmers should cooperate with the Veterinary Department in tackling the situation, he urged.

Apprising the newspersons that reports of cases of upper respiratory tract infections (URI) have started coming, the Minister said it was a matter of concern. The URI cases have come to the knowledge of the authorities due to the surveillance undertaken by the ASHA and Health Department workers.

However, the Minister said, Central Government teams of doctors comprising physician, epidemiologist, microbiologists and public health experts, under the Regional Director of Health and Family Welfare, are stationed in the affected areas of Hajo, Rani and Rampur Development Blocks in Kamrup District and affected areas of Barpeta and Nalbari Districts. Teams for other affected areas are being readied. The situation is being monitored on a daily basis, he said.

Isolation facilities have been strengthened to admit and treat suspected cases and 10,000 capsules of Tamiflu, 6,000 surgical masks, 600 personal protective equipment, 200 N-95 masks and two ventilators have been supplied to the State by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, while additional logistics are also being mobilised, said the Minister.

The communication materials developed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the UNICEF in Assamese for both the print and electronic media have been sipplied to the State Government, he said.

Giving details of the URI cases found so far in the State, the Minister said that in the Hajo Development Block of Kamrup District, a human population of 23,473 in the 0-3 km radius area around the affected area, spreading over 25 villages, is under active surveillance. Of which, a population of 21,412 was covered under surveillance on December 10. In the 3-10 km radius area, out of 1,08,416 people, 32,929 have been covered.

Four cases of URI with fever were reported from the area, but no case of influenza like illness with history of contact with infected poultry has been detected in them. Moreover, five cases of URI have been identified in the out patient department of the identified hospital, but none of them has any history of exposure to sick or dead poultry, said the Minister.

In the Rampur Development Block of the district, a population of 39,830 has been covered in the 0-3 km radius area by active surveillance. A total of 30 cases of URI and fever have been detected. None of these has, however, a history of exposure to infected poultry. In the 3-10 km radius area, of the affected area of the block, active surveillance has covered a population of 18,916, he said.

While conducting the passive surveillance in the health facilities, 14 cases of URI and fever have been detected and none of them has any history of exposure to infected poultry, said the Minister.

In the Azara Development Block of Kamrup District, out of a total population 8,572 in 24 villages in the 0-3 km radius, a population of 7,222 has been covered. In the 3-10 km radius area around the affected part of the block, a population of 5,608 has been covered by the surveillance programme, the Minister said.

Two cases of fever and URI are identified in the 0-3 km radius area around the affected part of the block. In the 3-10 km radius area, six cases of fever with URI and fever have been identified. But none of them has any history of exposure to sick or dead birds. The identified hospitals of the block, have reported a total of 23 fever and URI cases. But none of them has any history of exposure to infected poultry.

In Barpeta District, out of the total population of 33,934 in the 0-3 km radius area from the affected area, a population of 6,032 have been surveyed and the surveillance in the 3-10 km radius area from the affected area is being initiated. So far, 60 cases of fever with URI have been detected in the 0-3 km radius area. None of them has, however, any history of exposure to the infected birds, the Minister said.

In Nalbari district, the surveillance programme has covered a population of 7,761, out of the total population of 34,627 in the 0-3 km radius area. One case of fever with URI has been detected in the 0-3 km radius area. However, the patient has no history of exposure to diseased birds, said the Minister.

http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/...d=dec1208/at07

[Dutchy]

Dispur sounds health alert

- Assam lacks wherewithal to treat humans affected by avian flu, admits minister


Dec. 11: Dispur today sounded a grim warning over the probable spread of avian influenza to humans, saying the state was not equipped to handle such a health scenario.

The alert came in the wake of 82 cases of upper respiratory track infections in humans that were reported from six districts affected by bird flu. However, it was not yet confirmed whether these were bird flu-related cases.

An infection in the upper respiratory track is one of the symptoms of the disease in humans.

“If human beings are affected it would be a bigger disaster than floods or blasts,” health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told mediapersons here today.

He said that the health department could only handle 100 to 200 cases if the disease were to be transmitted to humans.

“Central teams under the regional director for health and family welfare are monitoring the situation in areas where the outbreak of the disease has been reported,” the minister said.

“The people are taking the matter very lightly without realising the consequences. There are allegations of chicken and ducks being kept away from culling.”

The minister urged the people to co-operate with veterinary officials as a precaution.

Sarma said culling operations were on in full swing with over three lakh poultry lined up for the purpose within the next few days. He said the figures were likely to go up after the outbreak in Dibrugarh and Chirang yesterday.

Barpeta, Kamrup (rural), Kamrup (metro) and Nalbari have already been affected by the flu.

Close to 2.5 lakh poultry has been culled so far. The ban on sale and movement of poultry and poultry-related products from affected areas has been imposed.

Culling operations will begin in Dibrugarh town tomorrow morning, two days after a case of avian flu was detected there.

Dibrugarh deputy commissioner Ashutosh Agnihotri said all necessary arrangements had been completed for the operations and rapid response teams were ready to carry out the drive.

The focal point in Dibrugarh town from where the bird flu case was detected as positive is ward number 6 under Dibrugarh Municipal Board. The 3km radius would cover the entire township, including Dibrugarh University and its adjoining areas.

The positive case was detected after poultry retailer Biswajeet Das from the Chiring Chapori area reported to the local veterinary department officials that around 120 of his birds had died all of a sudden on November 6.

“We had collected the samples of the dead birds and sent them for tests to the Bhopal-based High Security Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory. Thereafter, we received a report from the laboratory confirming the case as positive”, a veterinary department official said.

To compound matters, shortage of trained veterinary staff slowed down the culling of birds at Khanapara in the capital city which began this morning after the bird flu outbreak was confirmed at a government-run chicken rearing farm there yesterday.

“We have engaged five culling teams overnight after bird flu was confirmed at Khanapara. The areas within 3km of the epicentre has been declared as alert zone or high risk zone where culling will be carried out,” a government official supervising the operations said.

The alert zone in the city comprises Jawahar Nagar, Beltola, Six Mile, Rukminigaon, Dispur, Ganeshguri, parts of Hatigaon and Panjabari, among others.

The official admitted that their efforts had been impeded by shortage of trained staff for culling in the city as most of them were engaged in similar operations in other affected areas of the state.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/108121...y_10240174.jsp

[HenryN]

Commentary

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/12...arpeta_60.html

[HenryN]

Elsewhere, health ministry officials in India said today that the H5N1 virus has now spread to six of 27 districts in Assam state, according to a report from Indo-Asian News Service (IANS).
Parthajyoti Gogoi, a health ministry official, told IANS that more than 200,000 chickens and ducks have been culled since the outbreak was first detected 2 weeks ago. The culling activities have affected 200 villages in Kamrup (Metro), Kamrup (Rural), Dibrugarh, Nalbari, Barpeta, and Chirang districts.
He said teams of doctors and paramedics are taking measures to prevent human H5N1 infections, the report said.

http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/con...8birds-jw.html

[HenryN]

Check bird flu soon, Delhi tells Assam
12 Dec 2008, 0254 hrs IST, Prabin Kalita, TNN



GUWAHATI: The Centre has asked the Tarun Gogoi government in Assam to immediately control bird flu according to its guidelines. "The Assam
government needs to take a series of strategic actions immediately,'' Union joint secretary for animal husbandry, dairy and fisheries Arvind Kaushal has said in a letter to the Gogoi government.
This follows after the spread of avian flu was confirmed at a state government-run farm in Guwahati on Wednesday. Before this, the disease was detected in Kamrup, Chirang and Dibrugarh districts.
On November 4, India had declared itself free from H5N1 virus of Notifiable Avian Influenza before the World Organization of Animal Health. The fresh outbreak of the disease in Assam may affect the country's status as an avian-free nation.
The Centre has asked Assam to cull all poultry within a radius of three km of of the affected site at Nalbari village in Chirang district, the government-owned Central Chick Rearing Farm at Khanapara in Guwahati and Jalah and Ward 6 (east revenue circle) in Dibrugarh.
The state government has been asked to ensure upfront payment of compensation at the time of culling, destruction of eggs and poultry feed. In Dibrugarh alone, about 40,000 birds are likely to be culled by Saturday.
The Centre has asked for immediate declaration of infected and surveillance areas, ban on the movement of poultry and its products in affected areas, closusre of poultry and egg markets and surveillance within a 10-km radius of the infected sites.
Meghalaya and Manipur banned import of poultry from other states.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/I...ow/3824730.cms

[AlaskaDenise]

Originally Posted by niman

Commentary

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/12...1_Assam_9.html

Commentary

H5N1 Spreads To Nine Distrcts in Assam India
Recombinomics Commentary 13:01
December 11, 2008

Bird flu has further spread to new areas of Assam with Dibrugarh, Goalpara and Bongaigaon districts coming under its grip.

Cases of bird flu virus attack on poultry was detected in the municipal ward number six of Dibrugarh town, about 400 km from Hajo near Guwahati.

the virus was also found at state Veterinary Department-run Khanapara Central Seed Rearing Farm of the Veterinary Department here, Nilibari village of Chirang district and Jalah village of Kamrup (Rural) district. The virus has also spread to Nalbari, Barpeta and Baksa districts, sources said.

The above comments describe the spread of H5N1 to nine districts in Assam (see update map). H5N1 has been confirmed in six districts (Kamrup – rural, Kamrup – metro, Barpeta, Nalbari, Chirang, Dibrugarh), as described at the government website, and three districts (Baksa, Bongaigon, Goalpara) which have been described in media reports, including the comments above.

The rapid spread in Assam from the northwestern district of Chirang and the northeastern district of Dibrugah suggest the spread is via wild birds and not limited to the borders of Assam, or the one confirmed outbreak in Bangladesh. Media reports cite additional unreported outbreaks in West Bengal and Bangladesh, the site of last year’s outbreaks.

Projected culling levels are 300,000 birds, but the districts and levels increase almost daily, so more spread is expected.


.

[HenryN]

Dispur sounds health alert - Assam lacks wherewithal to treat humans affected by avian flu, admits minister

OUR BUREAU

Dec. 11: Dispur today sounded a grim warning over the probable spread of avian influenza to humans, saying the state was not equipped to handle such a health scenario. The alert came in the wake of 82 cases of upper respiratory track infections in humans that were reported from six districts affected by bird flu. However, it was not yet confirmed whether these were bird flu-related cases. An infection in the upper respiratory track is one of the symptoms of the disease in humans. “If human beings are affected it would be a bigger disaster than floods or blasts,” health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told mediapersons here today. He said that the health department could only handle 100 to 200 cases if the disease were to be transmitted to humans. “Central teams under the regional director for health and family welfare are monitoring the situation in areas where the outbreak of the disease has been reported,” the minister said. “The people are taking the matter very lightly without realising the consequences. There are allegations of chicken and ducks being kept away from culling.” The minister urged the people to co-operate with veterinary officials as a precaution. Sarma said culling operations were on in full swing with over three lakh poultry lined up for the purpose within the next few days. He said the figures were likely to go up after the outbreak in Dibrugarh and Chirang yesterday. Barpeta, Kamrup (rural), Kamrup (metro) and Nalbari have already been affected by the flu. Close to 2.5 lakh poultry has been culled so far. The ban on sale and movement of poultry and poultry-related products from affected areas has been imposed. Culling operations will begin in Dibrugarh town tomorrow morning, two days after a case of avian flu was detected there. Dibrugarh deputy commissioner Ashutosh Agnihotri said all necessary arrangements had been completed for the operations and rapid response teams were ready to carry out the drive. The focal point in Dibrugarh town from where the bird flu case was detected as positive is ward number 6 under Dibrugarh Municipal Board. The 3km radius would cover the entire township, including Dibrugarh University and its adjoining areas. The positive case was detected after poultry retailer Biswajeet Das from the Chiring Chapori area reported to the local veterinary department officials that around 120 of his birds had died all of a sudden on November 6. “We had collected the samples of the dead birds and sent them for tests to the Bhopal-based High Security Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory. Thereafter, we received a report from the laboratory confirming the case as positive”, a veterinary department official said. To compound matters, shortage of trained veterinary staff slowed down the culling of birds at Khanapara in the capital city which began this morning after the bird flu outbreak was confirmed at a government-run chicken rearing farm there yesterday. “We have engaged five culling teams overnight after bird flu was confirmed at Khanapara. The areas within 3km of the epicentre has been declared as alert zone or high risk zone where culling will be carried out,” a government official supervising the operations said. The alert zone in the city comprises Jawahar Nagar, Beltola, Six Mile, Rukminigaon, Dispur, Ganeshguri, parts of Hatigaon and Panjabari, among others. The official admitted that their efforts had been impeded by shortage of trained staff for culling in the city as most of them were engaged in similar operations in other affected areas of the state.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/108121...y_10240174.jsp

[AlaskaDenise]

Originally Posted by niman

Commentary

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/12...arpeta_60.html

Commentary

Sixty URI Patients In Barpeta India Raise H5N1 Concerns
Recombinomics Commentary 22:44
December 11, 2008

In Barpeta District, out of the total population of 33,934 in the 0-3 km radius area from the affected area, a population of 6,032 have been surveyed

So far, 60 cases of fever with URI have been detected in the 0-3 km radius area.

The above comments describe excessive upper respiratory infections with fever in the Barpeta district (see satellite map). Assam is setting up monitoring patients in the 0-3 km radius and 3-10 km radius around various epicenters of H5N1 infection. The update gives the number of people residing in the area, as well as how many have been surveyed.

The Barpeta district has 33,934 people, but only 6,032 were surveyed and 60 patients with symptoms were identified. In contrast, similar numbers for the target population were given for Nalbari (7,761/34,627), but only 1 patient with symptoms was identified. The smaller Azara block in the Kamrup district had 7,222 surveyed, and only 2 patients had symptoms.

Thus, the frequency of patients with symptoms is 30-60 fold higher in Barpeta than Azara or Nalbari, respectively.

These types of numbers are raising concerns that the region is not equipped to handle these patients, especially since less than 1/5 of the at risk population in Barpeta has been surveyed and Barpeta was one of the earliest outbreaks.

These numbers of symptomatic patients are cause for concern.


.

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus...0812121021.htm

300,000 people in bird flu-hit Assam under surveillance

Guwahati (IANS): Health authorities in Assam have placed under surveillance about 300,000 people in bird flu affected areas with reports of some 150 people suffering from fever and upper respiratory infections, fuelling fears of the deadly virus spreading to humans, officials said Friday.

"Isolation facilities have been strengthened to admit and treat suspect cases although no cases of influenza like illness with history of contact with infected poultry have been detected so far," Parthajyoti Gogoi, regional director (northeast) of the central health and family welfare department, told IANS.

"About 150 people were treated for fever and upper respiratory tract infections in bird flu hit areas. We have put the patients in isolation, although the symptoms do not indicate influenza like illness," he added.

The bird flu virus has spread across six Assam districts, with authorities claiming it has assumed an epidemic proportion. More than 250,000 poultry has been culled in the past two weeks in Assam and an estimated 150,000 more are ordered to be killed.

Health authorities have sounded a general alert fearing strains of the deadly bird flu virus spreading to humans and sparking a pandemic in the state.

"We are really worried about the bird flu virus spreading to humans as the strains transmit rapidly. We don't know for sure if our health department would be able to cope if such a thing happens," said Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

"We want the people of Assam to cooperate with the veterinary department so that the culling operations are carried out properly. Otherwise, we might face a disaster," he added.

The districts hit by bird flu are Kamrup (Metro), Kamrup (Rural), Dibrugarh, Nalbari, Barpeta and Chirang.

The poultry targeted includes ducks and chickens. Authorities have imposed a ban on sale of poultry and poultry products in most parts of Assam after the bird flu outbreak.

"Additional logistics are being mobilised and we are monitoring the situation of a daily basis," Gogoi said.

[HenryN]

Prasanta MazumdarFirst Published : 12 Dec 2008 01:30:00 AM ISTLast Updated : GUWAHATI: The Assam Government has sounded a high alert in the wake of the rapid spread of bird flu or Avian influenza to newer areas in the state.

So far, seven districts of the state, including Nalbari, Barpeta, Baksa, Bongaigaon, Dibrugarh, Kamrup (rural) and Kamrup (city) have been hit by bird flu.
The latest entrants in the list of affected districts were Kamrup (city) and Dibrugarh, prompting the authorities to ban the sale and import of poultry and poultry products there with immediate effect.
Official sources said poultry samples from Dibrugarh district in Upper Assam were tested positive for the potent H5N1 strain that causes the flu. Sources said 22 rapid reaction teams started culling of birds in Dibrugarh town on Thursday.
The Kamrup (city) administration banned the sale of poultry and poultry products, even in cooked form, under Section 144 of the CrPC to prevent the spread of the disease. A directive towards this effect was issued after poultry samples, collected from the Khanapara area of Guwahati and sent for laboratory test in Bhopal and Pune, confirmed the presence of H5N1 strain.
Reports received on Thursday said at least 85 poultry birds have died of the flu at the state’s veterinary department-run Chick Rearing Centre at Khanapara.
According to official sources, the authorities have culled over one lakh poultry birds since November 28 when the flu was first detected at Hajo in Kamrup (rural) district.
Sources said steps such as mopping up and sprinkling of disinfectants were continuing.
They suspected that migratory birds as well as the movement of infected birds could have caused the rapid spread of the disease.

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/s...me=pWehHe7IsSU=

[HenryN]

Central Veterinary Team visits Assam

Dec 12 A three-member Central Veterinary delegation is arriving in Assam on friday to assess the bird flu situation in as many as seven districts of the State. The delegation is headed by the Secretary in the Central Veterinary Department, Mr. N. Gokul Ram. He will be accompanied by the Department's joint secretary Mr. Arvind Kaushal and Commissioner Mr. S.K.Bandopadhyay. According to official sources, around three lakh poultry birds have so far been culled in the avian influenza affected areas of Kamrup (Rural), Kamrup (Metro), Barpeta, Nalbari, Baksa, Sirang and Dibrugarh. Around three hundred Rapid Response Teams have been deployed to complete culling operation within three kilometer radius of the disease-affected areas. A state-wide red alert has been issued besides sale and movement of poultry birds and products have been banned under section 144 Cr. P.C. in view of outbreak the disease to some new areas. The State Government has asked the people in avian flu-hit districts to cooperate with veterinary authorities undertaking culling operation. They have been asked to avoid direct contact with infected birds and not to eat uncooked eggs, mix poultry juice with raw food. It has been advised to cook poultry products above 70 degree Celsius before consumption and stay away from water contaminated by disease-affected birds. http://newsonair.nic.in/news.asp?cat=State&id=ST2961

[Dutchy]

OIE-report:

http://www.oie.int/wahis/public.php?...&reportid=7606

[HenryN]

http://www.oie.int/wahis/reports/en_...212_150210.pdf

Follow-up report No.: 1

Report reference: , OIE Ref: 7606, Report Date: 11/12/2008, Country: India

Report Summary

Disease

Highly pathogenic avian influenza Animal type Terrestrial

Causal Agent

Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus Serotype(s) H5N1

Clinical Signs

Yes Reason Reoccurrence of a listed disease

Date of first confirmation of the event

27/11/2008 Date of Start of Event 21/11/2008

Date of report

11/12/2008 Date Submitted To OIE 12/12/2008

Diagnosis

Laboratory (basic), Laboratory (advanced) Date Of Last Occurrence 11/2008

Number Of Reported Outbreaks

Submitted= 9, Draft= 0 Name of Sender of the report Mr Natarajan Gokulram

Address

Dr Rajendra Prasad Road
Room No 231, Krishi Bhawan
New Delhi 110001
New Delhi 110001

Position

Secretary to the Government of India

Telephone

(91-11) 23 38 26 08

Fax

(91-11) 23 38 80 06

Email

secyahd@nic.in

Entered by

Mr Natarajan Gokulram

Outbreak (other report - submitted)

State District Village/Block Unit Type Location Latitude Longitude Start date End Date

ASSAM Kamrup Rajabazar Village Hajo 26,2 91,15 21/11/2008

Species Measuring units Susceptible Cases Deaths Destroyed Slaughtered

Birds Animals 51788 324 324 51397 ...

Affected Population

backyard poultry mainly in a small village

Outbreak (this report - submitted)

State District Village/Block Unit Type Location Latitude Longitude Start date End Date

ASSAM Kamrup Rani Village Patgaon 26,2 91,15 28/11/2008

Species Measuring units Susceptible Cases Deaths Destroyed Slaughtered

Birds Animals 7884 682 682 7202 ...

Affected Population

backyard poultry mainly in a small village.

Outbreak (this report - submitted)

Printed on: Fri Dec 12 15:02:11 Paris, Madrid 2008 Page 1/5

State District Village/Block Unit Type Location Latitude Longitude Start date End Date

ASSAM Kamrup Rampur Village Sarpara 26,2 91,15 30/11/2008

Species Measuring units Susceptible Cases Deaths Destroyed Slaughtered

Birds Animals 168054 30 30 168024 ...

Affected Population

backyard poultry mainly in a small village.

Outbreak (this report - submitted)

State District Village/Block Unit Type Location Latitude Longitude Start date End Date

ASSAM Barpeta Gobardhana Village Katajhar 26,5 90,39 30/11/2008

Species Measuring units Susceptible Cases Deaths Destroyed Slaughtered

Birds Animals 10715 18 18 10697 ...

Affected Population

backyard poultry mainly in a small village.

Outbreak (this report - submitted)

State District Village/Block Unit Type Location Latitude Longitude Start date End Date

ASSAM Nalbari Pachim Nalbari Village Katla 26 91 30/11/2008

Species Measuring units Susceptible Cases Deaths Destroyed Slaughtered

Birds Animals 8406 75 75 8331 ...

Affected Population

backyard poultry mainly in a small village.

Outbreak (this report - submitted)

State District Village/Block Unit Type Location Latitude Longitude Start date End Date

ASSAM Kamrup Guwahati Farm Khanapara 26,2 91,15 05/12/2008

Species Measuring units Susceptible Cases Deaths Destroyed Slaughtered

Birds Animals 1231 112 112 ... ...

Affected Population

a chick rearing farm

Outbreak (this report - submitted)

State District Village/Block Unit Type Location Latitude Longitude Start date End Date

ASSAM Chirang Sidli Chirang Village Nilibari 26,35 90,38 05/12/2008

Species Measuring units Susceptible Cases Deaths Destroyed Slaughtered

Birds Animals 1500 399 399 ... ...

Affected Population

backyard poultry mainly in a small village.

Outbreak (this report - submitted)

State District Village/Block Unit Type Location Latitude Longitude Start date End Date

ASSAM Kamrup Bezera Village Jalah 26,2 91,15 06/12/2008
Follow-up report No.: 1. Report reference: , OIE Ref: 7606, Report Date: 11/12/2008, Country: India
Printed on: Fri Dec 12 15:02:11 Paris, Madrid 2008 Page 2/5

Species Measuring units Susceptible Cases Deaths Destroyed Slaughtered

Birds Animals 2500 500 500 ... ...

Affected Population

backyard poultry mainly in a small village.

Outbreak (this report - submitted)

State District Village/Block Unit Type Location Latitude Longitude Start date End Date

ASSAM Dibrugarh Dibrugarh Village Ward No. 6, East Revenue Circle 27,28 95,54 07/12/2008

Species Measuring units Susceptible Cases Deaths Destroyed Slaughtered

Birds Animals 120 120 120 ... ...

Affected Population

backyard poultry mainly in a small village.

Outbreak summary: Total outbreaks = 9 (Submitted)

Species Susceptible Cases Deaths Destroyed Slaughtered

Birds 252198 2260 2260 245651

Epidemiology

Epidemiological comments

Epidemiological investigation is ongoing. Stamping out of all domestic poultry is being applied in an approximately 3-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.

Source of the outbreak(s) or origin of infection

• Unknown or inconclusive

Control Measures

• Stamping out

Applied

• Quarantine
• Movement control inside the country
• Screening

To be applied

• Disinfection of infected premises/establishment(s)
• Dipping / Spraying

Animals treated

No

Vaccination Prohibited

No

Country / Zone

Country or zone

a zone or compartment

Diagnostic test results

Follow-up report No.: 1. Report reference: , OIE Ref: 7606, Report Date: 11/12/2008, Country: India
Printed on: Fri Dec 12 15:02:11 Paris, Madrid 2008 Page 3/5

Laboratory Type Name of Laboratory Species Test Type Date Results Provided Result

National laboratory High Security Animal Disease Laboratory, Bhopal Birds reverse transcription - polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) 09/12/2008 Positive
National laboratory High Security Animal Disease Laboratory, Bhopal Birds real-time PCR 09/12/2008 Positive
National laboratory High Security Animal Disease Laboratory, Bhopal Birds reverse transcription - polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) 03/12/2008 Positive
National laboratory High Security Animal Disease Laboratory, Bhopal Birds real-time PCR 03/12/2008 Positive
National laboratory High Security Animal Disease Laboratory, Bhopal Birds reverse transcription - polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) 01/12/2008 Positive
National laboratory High Security Animal Disease Laboratory, Bhopal Birds real-time PCR 01/12/2008 Positive

Future Reporting

What further reports will be submitted in relation to this event?

There are 9outbreaks that are still recorded as unresolved. It is not possible to declare this event resolved until these individual outbreaks are resolved.
The event is continuing. Weekly follow-up reports will be submitted.

Follow

[Treyfish]

Health scare in Indian state as bird flu spreads


December 12, 2008 8:09 AM

India - Medical workers were going door-to-door to look for people with symptoms of avian influenza in northeast India Friday as the infection in birds spread further, officials said.


So far, no human cases of infection of the deadly H5N1 virus have been reported in the affected Assam state, but authorities stepped up a health drive after 150 people developed some symptoms of the infection.


"About 150 people were treated for fever and upper respiratory tract infections in bird flu-hit areas. We have put the patients in isolation," senior health official Parthajyoti Gogoi told AFP.


Bird flu was ruled out in all cases, the official said.


The virus has spread in the past two weeks across six Assam districts, where an estimated 300,000 people live in the affected areas.


More than 250,000 poultry have been slaughtered so far and an estimated 150,000 more have been ordered to be killed.


The government was "worried" about the infection spreading to humans, as authorities may not be able to cope, local health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.


The sale of poultry and poultry products has been banned in most parts of the state.


India reported its worst outbreak of bird flu early this year in the eastern state of West Bengal.


The WHO says the deadly H5N1 strain has killed nearly 250 people, mostly in Southeast Asia, since 2003.
Read full post and comments

[HenryN]

Central team in Assam to assess measures to contain bird flu

Dec 12 In Assam, a three-member central team, headed by Secretary in the Agriculture Ministry, Mr. N. Gokulram arrived in Guwahati on Friday to supervise the measures taken by the State Government to contain the dreaded bird flu. The team had a detailed discussion with the State Chief Secretary Mr. Prafulla Sharma and other top veterinary officials at Dispur on Friday evening. They also took note of the action taken by the State Government to contain the disease. The team stressed on creating massive awareness among the people so that the disease does not transport to the human being. AIR Guwahati Correspondent reports that the disease has spread to seven upper and lower Assam districts so far. More than three lakh poultry birds have so far been culled in the bird flu affected areas of Kamrup, Nalbari, Barpeta, Baksa, Sirang, Bongaigaon and Dibrugarh districts. In some parts of Sirang and Bongaigaon districts, culling operation is reportedly disrupted in view of protests by the poultry owners. Around eight lakh people related to poultry business in the state have been affected due to outbreak of the disease. The authorities have paid rupees 20 to 75 to the owners according to the size of each duck and hen culled. http://www.newsonair.com/news.asp?cat=state&id=ST2970

[HenryN]

Assam: Bird flu reaches alarming proportion
K Anurag in Guwahati | December 12, 2008 21:47 IST
Over 2.6 lakh fowls have been culled in Assam so far where flu bird has reached an alarming proportion affecting nine districts till date. The state veterinary and animal husbandry department have engaged over 400 rapid response teams in the on-going culling operation.
The first incidence of bird flu was reported in a village under Hajo revenue circle of Kamrup districts on November 27 last. Immediately, the state veterinary department launched culling operations in surrounding areas. However, fresh reports of incidence of the disease continued to pour in from new areas.
The avian influenza has taken even spread to the state's capital city where the dreaded virus was detected among poultry birds in a government run farm. The state government has sounded alert over sale and consumption of the poultry products in the state while sale of the same has been banned in all affected districts, according to an official source.
Meanwhile, the government in the neighbouring has imposed ban on import of poultry products through Assam in the wake of outbreak of the avian influenza.
Meghalaya Veterinary department has collected samples from domestic fowls to check presence of stains of deadly H5N1 virus (bird flu virus).
With bird flu spreading to new areas in the state, Assam health department has pressed the panic button saying that it was not adequately equipped to handle large scale transmission of bird flu to humans.
The state health officials are closely monitoring upper respiratory tract infection � a symptom of bird flu -- detected in humans in different bird flu affected areas in the state. However, it was yet to be confirmed whether these URI cases were really transmitted from affected poultry birds or not as none of the affected persons had any history of coming in contact with bird flu affected poultry birds, a senior health department official said.
Central health department teams comprising doctors, epidemiologist, and microbiologists have fanned out to some of the bird flu affected areas in Kamrup and Nalbari districts of the state under the supervision of the Regional Directorate of Health and Family Welfare to monitor the situation on daily basis.

http://ia.rediff.com/news/2008/dec/1...n-alarming.htm