Patna-Docs on alert over avian deaths #H5N1

Docs on alert over avian deaths

By Our Correspondent | www.telegraphindia.com – Fri, Dec 23, 2011

 

Patna, Dec. 22: The State Health Society, Bihar, has issued an advisory to civil surgeons to keep a tab on unusual deaths of birds in their respective districts following the outbreak of avian influenza in Jharkhand.

According to sources in the society, the step has been taken as hundreds of crows have died in Jharkhand because of avian influenza since November.

"The crows first started dying mysteriously in Jam-shedpur district. This was followed by deaths in Ranchi, Bokaro, Khunti, Sahebganj and other districts of Jharkhand. We have asked civil surgeons to be alert and keep an eye on any such incident in our state. Letters have been issued to them and we are getting updates on a daily basis," a senior official of the society said today.

"The situation is alarming in Jharkhand. Samples of dead crows from Jharkhand sent to Bhopal for laboratory tests were found infected with strains of H5N1 virus. This confirmed outbreak of avian influenza in Jharkhand," the official added.

Patna civil surgeon Dr Lakhendra Prasad said he has asked all primary health centres and other hospitals in the district to maintain a daily record of any unusual bird death.

"All veterinary hospitals have been asked to send details of bird deaths on a daily basis. So far, no unusual incident has been reported from any part of Patna district," Prasad said.

According to sources, avian influenza A (H5N1) ' commonly called bird flu ' is caused by a virus sub-type that occurs mainly in birds. The disease is contagious among birds and can be fatal.

There have been instances of human beings getting infected with the virus.

"In most of the cases, people having direct or close contact with H5N1-infected poultry or H5N1-contaminated surfaces contracted the disease. The H5N1 strain of bird flu is regarded highly pathogenic and can also cause disease and death in humans. However, most victims contract the disease through close contact with affected birds," said a veterinary doctor.

Last month, teams from the Bareilly and Bhopal wings of Indian Veterinary Research Institute had collected samples of dead scavengers from Jamshedpur.

In their reports to the Jharkhand animal husbandry department and the East Singhbhum district surveillance office, the teams had hinted at possible human affliction.  http://in.news.yahoo.com/docs-alert-over-avian-deaths-000000806.html

Statewide zoo alert on crow deaths #h5n1 #birdflu

Statewide zoo alert on crow deaths - Team from UN, Centre in Jharkhand for probe

A.S.R.P. MUKESH

“For safety reasons, the aviary section is being closed. The inconvenience is regretted” — a Birsa Munda Biological Park employee pastes a notice on Friday announcing temporary closure in the wake of crow deaths. (Prashant Mitra) The death of 4,000 crows across the state in three months prompted a high-level joint team of the United Nations and Union government to arrive in Jharkhand on Thursday to probe why the phenomenon was limited to home scavengers, and spurred the state to issue a blanket alert to all the 24 districts, zoos and parks. A team comprising H.R. Khanna, project co-ordinator of Food and Agriculture Organisation, United Nations, and A.B. Negi, assistant commissioner of the Centre’s animal husbandry department, which reached Ranchi on Thursday, is currently in Jamshedpur. Earlier, tests at Jamshedpur — considered to be the epicentre of crow deaths — revealed conflicting results. National Institute of Virology, Pune, drew a blank, the state animal husbandry department dithered about citing a specific virus and Indian Veterinary Research Institute in Bareilly said H5N1, one of the deadliest avian virus strains, was the culprit. Director of state animal husbandry department A.G. Bandyopadhyay told The Telegraph that the visit of Negi and Khanna was an attempt to find out why only crows were dying, not poultry. “No hens are dying, only crows,” he said, adding all animal husbandry officials across the districts were put on 24X7 alert to monitor the deaths. The state forest department is also worried. “The forest department has served a blanket alert to zoos and parks in Jharkhand to protect birds and animals from infection,” said chief conservator of forests (wildlife) A.K. Gupta. It may be a knee-jerk response, but some zoos are more alarmed than others. “We have isolated the aviary. We are taking no chances,” Ranchi-based Birsa Munda Biological Park director P.K. Verma said. “We have temporarily closed the aviary and are cleaning enclosures and nearby areas with bleaching powder and spraying anti-virus liquid. Birds are being fed vitamins to boost immunity,” said he. Tata Steel Zoological Park, Jamshedpur, however, has adopted a wait-and-watch mode. But, East Singhbhum district officials have directed scavengers to dig 2ft deep pits to bury crow carcasses. In Dhanbad district, too, animal husbandry officer Abhay Prasad Singh stressed on “digging pits and sprinkling lime” to dispose carcasses. Though all experts do not confirm bird flu, the fear about human threat and possible pandemic is running high. However, a bulletin of World Health Organisation (see box) says the worry is overrated. Environment bodies, zoo authorities and ornithologists are deliberating on four main angles — the exact reason behind deaths, human and animal peril, the magnitude of dwindling numbers and finally, long-term ecological impact if the bird becomes endangered. Ecologically, it hints towards a major imbalance. If a study conducted by Jamshedpur ornithologist K.K. Sharma — who first sounded the alarm on the deaths — is to be believed, Jharkhand had around 50,000 house crows, but in just three months, the numbers are 40 per cent down. “Till last week’s count, in Jamshedpur only, from 6,000 crows, the steel city now has 4,000,” Sharma said, adding he was sceptical about H5N1 virus as the cause. “In the case of vultures, too, everyone spoke about a virus scare. With 1 per cent of vultures left, we realised that diclofenac, used to treat cattle, is behind the deaths,” he said. He said crows were winging behind vultures and eagles to oblivion. Wildlife activist D.S. Srivastava said crows were friends of man. “They are scavengers who clean up pathogens from garbage near homes, protecting children and elderly who have less immunity,” said he. Hazaribagh-based Satya Prakash, state co-ordinator of Indian Bird Conservation Network affiliated to NGO Bombay Natural History Society, said matters were not so serious. “The International Union for Conservation of Nature will declared crows as endangered only if deaths are reported across Asia. We need not worry about that. Let’s focus on imbalance in local environment,” said Prakash. http://telegraphindia.com/1111217/jsp/jharkhand/story_14893217.jsp

Crow death alert in Dhanbad #h5n1 #birdflu

Crow death alert in Dhanbad PRADUMAN CHOUBEY Officials of district veterinary department bury a dead crow in Dhanbad on Wednesday. Picture by Gautam Dey The animal husbandry department on Thursday rushed teams headed by veterinarians to different parts of Dhanbad after crow deaths were reported from Dumra, Sijua and Phularitand. Speaking to The Telegraph, district animal husbandry officer Abhay Prasad Singh said 27 crow deaths have been reported from Dhanbad so far. “This might or might not be due to bird flu but we are not taking any chances. Teams are being sent everywhere to ensure proper disposal of carcasses,” he said. He added that an intensive awareness programme has also been launched in the district and pamphlets detailing dos and don’ts are being distributed in areas where crow deaths have been reported. A district control room headed by Brahmadeo Prasad Yadav has also been constituted to monitor the situation from Police Line in Hirapur. According to Singh, one to four crow deaths have been reported from isolated places. On Wednesday, 10 deaths were reported — one from Sindri, one from Jorapokhar, three from Barwaddah, four from Nirsa and one from Dhaiya. When contacted, Yadav said besides bird flu, various other factors like radiation from mobile phone towers, exposure to cold and other diseases could also be responsible for the crow deaths in Dhanbad. Explaining the steps being taken, district animal husbandry officer Singh said besides ensuring disposal of carcasses, forest guards were also being trained to deal with the situation. “Training has been provided by two of our master trainers to 40 forest guards, 25 in Rajganj and 15 in Tundi on Wednesday,” Singh said, adding that people were being instructed to not touch any carcasses with bare hands. People were also being also instructed to sprinkle lime over the carcasses and also at the place where they were being buried. All 20 veterinary hospitals situated around the eight blocks of the district have been put on high alert. Health department nodal officer for bird flu in the district P.K. Bhagat, who is also the secretary of Red Cross Society of Dhanbad, on the other hand said no instances of bird flu had been reported from anywhere in India but preventive steps have been taken in the district and medicines procured from Ranchi. He added that an isolation ward comprising 10 beds had been prepared at Patliputra Medical College and Hospital.  http://telegraphindia.com/1111216/jsp/jharkhand/story_14888119.jsp