Bird flu fear shuts 22 schools in Bhaktapur
Added At: 2011-12-02 12:05 AM
RUDRA PANGENI/ISHWOR KAJI KHAIJU
BHAKTAPUR: Fearing the spread of bird flu among children, 22 private schools in and around the ‘bird flu zone’ have announced the closure from Friday to Monday.
The schools were shut acting on public pressure though the public health officers of Bhaktapur and Kathmandu have put three-kilometer area around Lokanthali, where all the birds were culled and anti-virus pesticides sprayed on Tuesday, under surveillance.
Schools in Lokanthali, Kaushaltar, Gatthaghar and Balkot have been closed, as parents feared the spread of disease among the children while going to school.
Bhuvan Lal Shrestha, chairman of Private and Boarding Schools Organisation-Nepal, Bhaktapur, said the decision was forced by lack of awareness among parents and poor government response to the outbreak.
Principal of Erudite Academy of Lokanthali Diwakar Gyanwali said people knew little about bird flu and the government did not did not do enough to allay their fears, triggering panic among the parents, ‘who urged us to close the school’.
Coordinator of Public Health
Office, Bhaktapur, Shiva Bahadur KC, said, “All the birds that
were feared to have been infected, were culled and chicks, eggs and poultry farms were treated medically. So there is no chance of virus spreading to humans.”
Dr Garib Das Thakur, Director, Epidemiology and Disease Control Division.
Department of Health Services, told The Himalayan Times: “We have sent an expert team to the area and there is no need to fear an outbreak among humans.”
Secretary, Ministry of Health and Population, Dr Sudha Sharma, while talking to The Himalayan Times, urged the people not to panic and claimed that there was no need to shut the schools. Dr Sharma claimed that the ministry and its agencies were active in the
area and families in 40 houses around the ‘bird flu zone’ had
already undergone check-up with none testing positive.
On Monday, the government had declared poultry farm of Chandra Bahadur Tamang near Manohara Khola ‘a bird flu zone’ and had mobilised a Rapid Response Team in the area.
http://thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Bird+flu+fear+shuts+22+schools+in+Bhaktapur++&NewsID=311280
Families in 40 houses around the 'bird flu zone' have already undergone check-up‚ with none testing positive. There was no need to shut schools or panic.
BHAKTAPUR: Fearing the spread of bird flu among children, 22 private schools in and around the ‘bird flu zone’ have announced the closure from Friday to Monday.
The schools were shut acting on public pressure though the public health officers of Bhaktapur and Kathmandu have put three-kilometer area around Lokanthali, where all the birds were culled and anti-virus pesticides sprayed on Tuesday, under surveillance.
Schools in Lokanthali, Kaushaltar, Gatthaghar and Balkot have been closed, as parents feared the spread of disease among the children while going to school.
Bhuvan Lal Shrestha, chairman of Private and Boarding Schools Organisation-Nepal, Bhaktapur, said the decision was forced by lack of awareness among parents and poor government response to the outbreak.
Principal of Erudite Academy of Lokanthali Diwakar Gyanwali said people knew little about bird flu and the government did not did not do enough to allay their fears, triggering panic among the parents, ‘who urged us to close the school’.
Coordinator of Public Health
Office, Bhaktapur, Shiva Bahadur KC, said, “All the birds that
were feared to have been infected, were culled and chicks, eggs and poultry farms were treated medically. So there is no chance of virus spreading to humans.”
Dr Garib Das Thakur, Director, Epidemiology and Disease Control Division.
Department of Health Services, told The Himalayan Times: “We have sent an expert team to the area and there is no need to fear an outbreak among humans.”
Secretary, Ministry of Health and Population, Dr Sudha Sharma, while talking to The Himalayan Times, urged the people not to panic and claimed that there was no need to shut the schools. Dr Sharma claimed that the ministry and its agencies were active in the
area and families in 40 houses around the ‘bird flu zone’ had
already undergone check-up with none testing positive.
On Monday, the government had declared poultry farm of Chandra Bahadur Tamang near Manohara Khola ‘a bird flu zone’ and had mobilised a Rapid Response Team in the area.
http://thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Bird+flu+fear+shuts+22+schools+in+Bhaktapur++&NewsID=311280
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