Likely H5N1 Spread to Seventh District in Assam India

Recombinomics Commentary 08:12
December 8, 2008

In Assam, more than one lakh fifty thousand poultry birds have been culled so far in the bird flu affected areas of the State. 432 Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) have been deployed for culling operation in 83 villages in Kamrup Nalbari, Barpeta and Baksa districts after confirmation of spread of avian influenza. The State Director of Veterinary Department Dr. Aswini Kotoky told our Guwahati Correspondent this evening that unnatural death of poultry birds have been reported from some more areas of Bongaigaon and Chirang districts.

The above comments suggest that H5N1 has spread to Chirang, a seventh district in Assam (see updated map). Chirang is adjacent to Bongaigaon, where H5N1 was confirmed by local officials. The test confirmations in Bhopal are lagging deaths by as many as 10 days, but the above unnatural poultry deaths suggest H5N1 continues to spread ahead of confirmatory lab tests.

These latest deaths are near the borders of West Bengal and Bhutan, including the Manas Wildlife Sanctuary in Bhutan and Assam, as well as the Buxa Wildlife Sancuary in West Bengal, which could lead to an accelerated spread.

More outbreaks are expected.