Two more teams of experts on bird flue sent to state of Assam

Two more teams of experts on bird flue sent to state of Assam

Health 12/13/2008 4:57:00 PM

NEW DELHI, Dec 13 (KUNA) -- Indian government urgently sent two more teams of bird flu experts to Assam to step up surveillance after nearly 100 people showed signs of the virus, health officials said on Saturday. Patients in six districts of the state of Assam were suffering from fever and respiratory infections, which are symptoms of the virus in humans, but "No human cases of H5N1 have been confirmed in the state. But we are on maximum alert," Himanta Biswa Sarma, Assam's Health minister, said. Two teams of federal medical experts, including epidemiologists and microbiologists, are keeping a close watch on humans in affected areas of the oil- and tea-producing state. The medical teams brought supplies of equipment as a preventative measure in case the virus spreads to humans, including 10,000 Tamiflu capsules, 6,000 surgical masks and two ventilators. "More medicines and equipment will reach here in the next two days to cope up with the situation," Sarma said. Veterinary officials have slaughtered more than 300,000 chickens and ducks since late November, after the virus was detected in poultry last month in a village close to Guwahati.(end) fyf.ajs KUNA 131657 Dec 08