Thursday, December 11, 2008

Recombinomics Commentary: H5N1 Spreads To Nine Distrcts in Assam India

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.

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