Asia-Pacific Daily Report

H5N1 bird flu detected in India's eastern state of West Bengal continues to spread after being confirmed by India's government on January 14, the Indo-Asian News Service (IANS) reported health authorities in New Delhi as saying. On Thursday (January 28), health authorities said culling operations, which began on January 21, are on-going after new epicenters started to emerge in the state. According to a statement, nearly 125,751 birds have been culled, while some 15,453 eggs have been destroyed. The government has said the outbreak affected Hazrabati and Nagar villages in Khargram block of Murshidabad district on January 14, and since then, epicenters in Haripur, Ninur, Pathai, Jhajra and Sankarpur, have erupted in the same block. Villages in Burwan block - Faridpur, Budua, Khorjona and Simulia - have also confirmed outbreaks, IANS reported state health authorities saying. They added that containment measures had been implemented and that about 435 poultry workers and veterinary surgeons were participating in culling operations. Officials are continually monitoring the situation on a daily basis, IANS reported. Due to the outbreak, IANS reported health authorities saying on Monday (January 25) that at least 409 people had been put on medication in bird flu-hit areas in West Bengal. Although India has not recorded any case of human bird flu transmission in the last few years, there is always a possibility of human infection among the high-risk groups and the ministry has opted to be extremely cautious to prevent a human bird flu outbreak. According to the health ministry, 409 poultry workers, cullers, veterinary surgeons involved in culling operations have been put on chemoprophylaxis. The health ministry wanted to ensure the public that there was no cause for alarm and that the state administration had an adequate stock of medicine and personal protective equipments, IANS reported. The three-member Central Rapid Response Team sent by the health ministry remains in Murshidabad to assist state health authorities.

Source:

· http://www.hindustantimes.com/rssfeed/newdelhi/Bird-flu-spreads-to-more-areas-in...

· http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/400-people-put-on-medication-in-bird-fl...

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