Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Centre issues fresh flu alert for bordering northeastern states

Centre issues fresh flu alert for bordering northeastern states

Agartala, Nov 09: With the arrival of the guest birds from different parts of the world at the on-set of winter, Union Health Ministry has asked the northeastern states bordering Bangladesh and Myanmar- Tripura, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Assam to keep a close watch on the poultry firms, as the region was identified as prone to H5N1 avian influenza.
The latest communiqué to the states ministry said that the poultry industry in the bordering northeastern and eastern Indian states including West Bengal and Bihar had been facing a serious threat following the outbreak of the disease over past two years and anticipating the possibility of spread of the virus this year, the ministry reminded the prevention guidelines.

Earlier, last month Assam had sounded bird flu alert after getting report from Bhopal-based High Security Animal Disease Laboratory tested positive for H5N1 virus while Mizoram had followed suit as a precautionary measure.

However, recently Tripura had sounded a bird flu alert after the spread of the virus in the adjoining Assam and the authority put ban on import of poultry and poultry products from Assam, and asked its officials to maintain a close vigil along the border.
Meanwhile, more than 80 rapid response teams were kept ready to act in case of an outbreak of bird flu in the state and poultry farmers had been asked to monitor the birds health on regular basis and report to the nearest animal health clinic.

Animal Resource Development authority and health department had constituted several committees to ensure frequent visits to poultry firm. The state had brought fresh checks (parent pairs) from Orissa recently for revival of the industry, officials said here today.
 
http://www.newkerala.com/news/2011/worldnews-103246.html
--UNI

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