60 cases of URI with fever detected

FRIDAY 12 DECEMBER 2008




‘Avoid poultry products’
By our Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Dec 11: With avian influenza spreading fast to fresh areas in the State, Union Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Secretary N Gokul Ram is arriving in Guwahati tomorrow to take stock of the situation here. Asom Health and Family Welfare Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on the other hand, said over 60 cases of human being suffering from Upper Respiratory Tract Infection (URI) with fever in the bird flu-affected areas of the State have been detected, and the affected people have been kept under close observation. Sarma said the major problem lies in the fact that there is no hundred per cent reliable treatment of bird flu.
According to sources, prior to the arrival of the Union Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Secretary, Asom Chief Secretary PC Sarma and Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Commissioner-Secretary SL Mewra will review the bird flu situation in the State. Gokul Ram will take the stock of avian influenza in the State at a meeting to be attended by Mewra and higher officials of Health and Family Welfare and Forest and Environment departments at 4 pm at Dispur tomorrow.
According to experts, scanty rainfall in the State this year is one of the reasons behind the spread of avian influenza, the virus of which is carried by the wind. Experts say that the virus of avian influenza is carried by migratory birds who are immune to the virus. The seasoned migratory birds carry the virus but they do not die of infection.
Meanwhile, talking to newsmen in Guwahati today, Asom Health and Family Welfare Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said: “Over 60 cases of human being suffering from URI with fever have been reported from bird flu-affected areas like Azara, Hajo, Barpeta and Nalbari. Though it has not been proved whether the URI fever in human being has been from birds, yet the affected people have been kept under close observation.”
Sarma added: “Some people have not been cooperating with the Veterinary Department. There are reports that some people have been hiding their poultry birds to evade their culling. If this continues, the owners of the poultry birds will get infected first and spread the virus to other fellow beings, and such an event will lead to a catastrophe in the State as the State Health Department is not equipped with advanced medical tools meant for tackling cases like infection of avian influenza in human beings. I, therefore, appeal to the people to cooperate with the culling operation.”
Meanwhile, Veterinary and Animal husbandry Director AK Kataki said about 3,500 chicks were culled and over 2,000 eggs destroyed in the Khanapara poultry farm of the department today. He said culling operations will be started at Ward No. 6 in Dibrugarh and Bejera in Kamrup district from tomorrow.

How is avian influenza in humans treated?
Studies done in laboratories suggest that the prescription medicines approved for human influenza viruses should work in treating avian influenza infection in humans. However, influenza viruses can become resistant to these drugs, so these medications may not always work. Additional studies are needed to determine the effectiveness of these medicines.