Alarm bells ring after Bird Flu hits Assam

Pranesh Sarkar
KOLKATA, Dec. 8:

The state health department has put all the districts on high alert after receiving confirmation of a Bird Flu outbreak in Assam a few days ago.
On 1 December, a letter was issued to all the chief medical officers of health (CMOHs) in the state by the joint director of public health. Hospitals in the state have been asked to keep tabs on influenza cases. The health department has also asked the district health officials to be prepared to deal with an emergency situation efficiently.
A senior health department official told The Statesman: “On 1 December, the Centre notified us of a Bird Flu outbreak in our neighbouring state, Assam. On that day itself, we have put all our districts on high alert. Primarily, it was decided that only north Bengal districts would be put on alert. But later, all the districts were cautioned because the H5N1 virus has hit Bangladesh too. Earlier this year, Bird Flu entered the state when cattle traders brought poultry to Birbhum from Bangladesh.”

Another official said: “We have started checking our stock of protective gears, medicines for rapid response teams. All the districts have been asked to send a list of requirements as early as possible. Last time when Bird Flu surfaced in the state, the Centre had allotted us protective gears and medicines. Some of these are still with us and we have already started receiving new stocks. These would be sent to the districts as per their requirement.” The animal resources development department (ARD) has also decided to increase surveillance on poultry. This time stress has been laid on bordering districts so that no infected bird is brought into the state from Bangladesh.
“We are keeping a close watch on the bordering districts so that no poultry bird could reach the state with the cattle traders. The Centre has also asked the Border Security Force to keep a sharp watch on the cattle traders. They should be prevented from taking any kind of poultry into the state from Bangladesh,” said a senior ARD official.