Flu belies govt claim
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Even as the highly pathogenic avian influenza spread to two new districts ~ Midnapore (West) and South 24-Parganas ~ bringing the total number of affected districts in the state to 13 today, the state government claimed that the bird flu situation has come under control and the culling of birds is likely to be completed by tomorrow.
A senior state health official said that blood samples, sent to Bhopal from Budge Budge (South 24-Parganas), Beldanga II (Murshidabad) and Debra (Midnapore West), have tested positive for H5N1, taking the number of affected blocks to 44.
Mr Anisur Rahman, state animal resources development minister, said 1,014 Rapid Response Teams (RRT) have been carrying out culling operations in 42 blocks of the state’s 11 districts and they have culled a total of 3,01,277 birds till yesterday.
Culling operations in Nadia, Burdwan, Bankura and South Dinajpur have been completed, he said, adding that more than 1.2 million birds have been put under surveillance and an alert has been sounded in bordering districts.
“Though untimely rain hampered the culling operation, we hope that it would be over by tomorrow. We can say that the situation is under control,” Mr Rahman said.
Culling operations are also being carried out in Howrah for the past two days.
Howrah’s district magistrate, Mr Khalil Ahmed, said: “As the Panchla block was also affected by bird flu, culling operations began on Saturday. A total of about 100,000 chickens in this block have been culled.”
On the preparedness of the state health department to deal with cases of human transmission of the H5N1 virus, if reported, state health minister Dr Surya Kanta Mishra, said block primary health centres in the affected areas have been provided with isolation facilities.“A control room has been set up and an alert sounded. The sub-divisional hospitals and the district hospitals are ready to treat critical patients.” Asked if there is any human case of avian influenza reported in West Bengal, Dr Mishra replied in the negative.
A senior state health official said that blood samples, sent to Bhopal from Budge Budge (South 24-Parganas), Beldanga II (Murshidabad) and Debra (Midnapore West), have tested positive for H5N1, taking the number of affected blocks to 44.
Mr Anisur Rahman, state animal resources development minister, said 1,014 Rapid Response Teams (RRT) have been carrying out culling operations in 42 blocks of the state’s 11 districts and they have culled a total of 3,01,277 birds till yesterday.
Culling operations in Nadia, Burdwan, Bankura and South Dinajpur have been completed, he said, adding that more than 1.2 million birds have been put under surveillance and an alert has been sounded in bordering districts.
“Though untimely rain hampered the culling operation, we hope that it would be over by tomorrow. We can say that the situation is under control,” Mr Rahman said.
Culling operations are also being carried out in Howrah for the past two days.
Howrah’s district magistrate, Mr Khalil Ahmed, said: “As the Panchla block was also affected by bird flu, culling operations began on Saturday. A total of about 100,000 chickens in this block have been culled.”
On the preparedness of the state health department to deal with cases of human transmission of the H5N1 virus, if reported, state health minister Dr Surya Kanta Mishra, said block primary health centres in the affected areas have been provided with isolation facilities.“A control room has been set up and an alert sounded. The sub-divisional hospitals and the district hospitals are ready to treat critical patients.” Asked if there is any human case of avian influenza reported in West Bengal, Dr Mishra replied in the negative.
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