Bird flu wreaks havoc in Agartala

H5 strains of Avian Influenza (H1N1), popularly called bird flu, have been confirmed in poultry samples from the state farm.

The samples were tested by High Security Animal Disease Laboratory (HSADL), Bhopal, and ERDDL, Kolkata. The last outbreak occurred in January 2010 in Khargram block of Murshidabad district in West Bengal.

On 15th of this month, unusual duck die-offs occurred at the farm. Dr Asish Barman, director of the animal resource department explains, “Initially, we did not think that it could be bird flu, but when the death toll crossed 50, we sent blood samples of the dead ducks to the animal disease diagnostic laboratory in Bhopal.

"Yesterday, we received confirmation that it is a fresh outbreak of bird flu."

Steps taken by the government
Some emergency measures were put in place by the government to stop spreading of the dreaded and highly fatal disease.

The Central government has asked the State government to immediately cull all poultry within the radius of three kilometers. (According to latest reports, 2,500 ducks were culled.)

Further, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying under the Ministry of Agriculture has asked the State government to not only cull the birds in the affected farm but also to destroy all the eggs and feed stuff so as to arrest any spreading of the disease.

The government will also ban any movement of poultry and its products, and close poultry egg market and outlets within the radius of ten kilometers of the locus of infection.

The department has asked the state government to ratchet up surveillance and to send a daily report of efficacy of the measures taken.

Personnels, engaged in culling of birds, disposal of dead birds, and spreading of disinfectants in the farm area, will also be banned from any movement.

The Central and State governments will bear the amount that is due to farm owner on fifty-fifty basis. It will be paid out once the culling is over.

Bird flu is highly contagious and can pass onto humans from birds. Secondly, migratory birds can carry the infection over long distances.

Commenting on the steps that are being taken by the governments, Dr Dipankar Roy, a deputy secretary in the Union animal resource ministry, said, “this happened in 2008 when we had to cull more than 55,000 chicken and ducks all over the state. That time the virus had entered from Bangladesh, but this time, we can not say that with certainty.”

The government will now inform international authorities regarding the outbreak.