Centre confirms birdflu outbreak in West Bengal
The Centre on Tuesday confirmed the outbreak of a deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu in two districts of West Bengal
By PTI |
NEW DELHI: The Centre on Tuesday confirmed the outbreak of a deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu in two districts of West Bengal, prompting the health ministry to send two more teams to the affected areas as the state government formed 60 rapid response teams to meet the challenge.
One sample each from Birbhum and South Dinajpur districts have "tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza H5 virus" at both the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory (HSADL) in Bhopal, Agriculture Ministry said.
However, a senior official of the Health Ministry said, the strain has been identified as H5N1 virus and two laboratories HSDAL and National Institute of Virology in Pune have confirmed it.
However, the official said, no human beings were affected by the outbreak so far.
In a statement, Agriculture Ministry said the outbreak "appears to be localised only in few blocks in Birbhum and only one farm in South Dinajpur. There is no report of unusual mortality or sickness in the neighbouring areas."
During the last seven days, the Ministry said, there were deaths of approximately 35,525 poultry in 102 villages of six blocks in Birbhum and of 288 in one state poultry farm in South Dinajpur.
Soon after the confirmation of the outbreak, the Health Ministry, which had already sent a team from the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) yesterday, rushed two more teams to the affected areas for beginning contingency measures. The officials of the Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries were also rushed to the spot.
The West Bengal government has also formed 60 rapid response teams for implementation of the action plan in the affected areas.
One sample each from Birbhum and South Dinajpur districts have "tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza H5 virus" at both the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory (HSADL) in Bhopal, Agriculture Ministry said.
However, a senior official of the Health Ministry said, the strain has been identified as H5N1 virus and two laboratories HSDAL and National Institute of Virology in Pune have confirmed it.
However, the official said, no human beings were affected by the outbreak so far.
In a statement, Agriculture Ministry said the outbreak "appears to be localised only in few blocks in Birbhum and only one farm in South Dinajpur. There is no report of unusual mortality or sickness in the neighbouring areas."
During the last seven days, the Ministry said, there were deaths of approximately 35,525 poultry in 102 villages of six blocks in Birbhum and of 288 in one state poultry farm in South Dinajpur.
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Soon after the confirmation of the outbreak, the Health Ministry, which had already sent a team from the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) yesterday, rushed two more teams to the affected areas for beginning contingency measures. The officials of the Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries were also rushed to the spot.
The West Bengal government has also formed 60 rapid response teams for implementation of the action plan in the affected areas.
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