January 18, 2008

 

WHO warns of seriousness of recent Indian bird flu

 

 

The World Health Organisation warned Thursday that the bird flu outbreak in eastern India was far more serious than two previous outbreaks.

 

The organization said that more serious risk factors are associated with this current outbreak than previously encountered, including that the affected areas are more widespread and have high proximity to extended border areas.

 

Health officials are engaged in culling 400,000 birds in several districts of India's heavily populated eastern West Bengal state bordering Bangladesh, which is also struggling with the virus.

 

The slaughter started a day after India's agriculture ministry confirmed that the death of 35,000 birds in West Bengal was due to the deadly H5N1 strain.

 

According to India's federal health ministry, 35,525 poultry in West Bengal's Birbhum district as well as 288 birds in a state-run poultry farm in the state's Dinajpur district had died. However, the outbreak appeared to be localised.

 

But villagers in Margram, at the centre of the outbreak, told an AFP photographer accompanying culling teams that they had sold sick and dead birds as meat for INR10 (US$0.25) a kilo.

 

Officials in New Delhi said advisories had been sent to states neighbouring West Bengal in a bid to contain any possible spread. Flights originating from Kolkata had taken chicken off their menus, reports said.

 

An isolation centre has been opened in a hospital near the affected area and 300 health workers have been sent with medicines and protective gear, Anisur Rahaman, West Bengal animal resources minister disclosed.

 

The outbreak, third in India, was blamed to wild migratory birds.