Bird flu: Centre rushes teams to Haryana, Kerala

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 6

The Centre today said no cases of avian influenza had been detected in humans so far even as it rushed multi-disciplinary teams to the affected districts of Kerala and Haryana. Teams have been stationed at Alappuzha and Kottayam in Kerala and Panchkula in Haryana.

The Department of Animal Husbandry on January 4 notified avian influenza (H5N8) in samples of dead ducks from Alappuzha and Kottayam. Similar reports came from poultry samples in Panchkula. Dead crows have been detected from Daly College in Indore, Madhya Pradesh as well, triggering fears of a spread.

In a letter to counterparts in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana and Kerala, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan today asked for active surveillance among birds and humans alike saying avian influenza is highly pathogenic and can transmit to human beings.

“Till date no human case avian influenza has been detected in India. It is however critical that effective containment plan among birds and poultry population be initiated and active surveillance be done among humans. Identify the risk zones and undertake surveillance among human habitations of high-risk zones and affected villages. Also keep a vigil on unusual deaths among birds and poultry and share relevant information with the Health Ministry,” Bhushan said in a letter to the health secretaries of the four states.

Bhushan flagged the issue of dead crows detected from Indore in his letter to the state authorities today. Avian influenza has also been reported from Jhalawar in Rajasthan and Bhind in MP.