Nepal gov't gives all clear..

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Ministry allays bird flu fears

• Tight vigil at Madhyapur Thimi • No H5N1 strain found

  2011-12-02 10:36 PM

  

KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Health and Population has appealed to all not to panic as suspected cases of bird flu emerged in Madhyapur Thimi-16, Bhaktapur.

“The MoHP has coordinated with the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives to take preventive measures and other necessary steps to handle the outbreak,” it said in a press release.

“A surveillance team comprising medics has been keeping vigil on Madhyapur Thimi. It has interviewed all members of 42 households in the area about any symptoms they have developed so far and found that no one was infected with H5N1 strain,” according to the ministry.

Of them, six persons were diagnosed with common cold and back pain.
The residents have been asked to visit nearest sub-health post in Lokanthali and take bird flu suspects to Teku-based Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital.

The ministry also confirmed local residents tested negative for symptoms of bird-flu.

Meanwhile, the Department of Livestock Services today announced a ban on transporting birds for 42 days.

North border of Lokanthali in the east, Manohara river in the west and the end of squatters community in the North and the Araniko highway in the south are the prohibited areas.

Organising a press meet, director general of the department, Nar Bahadur Rajwar, asked people not to worry as there was no reports of bird flu in any area.

“Our medics have not found any trace of bird flu and the surveillance in the region has been intensified,” Rajwar said.

Except in the prohibited zone, people can run the poultry business and public can consume chickens, said Rajwar. The department has provided compensation to the tune of Rs 39,862 for 232 ducks, 76 chickens, 14 eggs that were destroyed.

Twenty-six districts of Tarai are among the high risk districts where there are eight service centres in each district for surveillance.

Likewise, 18 districts of mid-hill are among moderately risk with two service centres in each district and 31 others are less risky.   http://thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Ministry+allays+bird+flu+fears+&NewsID=311383