Published Date: 2008-11-28 17:00:40
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (113): India (AS), HPAI conf.
Archive Number: 20081128.3749
AVIAN INFLUENZA (113): INDIA (ASSAM), HPAI CONFIRMED
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A ProMED-mail post
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ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: Fri 28 Nov 2008
Source: The Telegraph, Calcutta [edited]
<http://www.telegraphindia.com/1081128/jsp/northeast/story_10175439.jsp#>
The Kamrup district administration tonight [27 Nov 2008] ordered
culling of poultry in Rajapara village near Hajo [district of Assam]
after tests for bird flu proved positive.
Deputy commissioner RC Jain said he was informed of the test results
this evening [27 Nov 2008] and accordingly sent out orders to cull
the birds. "We have been ready since yesterday [26 Nov 2008]. But now
the culling will start tomorrow," Jain said.
The administration had sent samples of the dead birds to the High
Security Laboratory in Bhopal on Monday [24 Nov 2008] after 324
poultry died last week [week of 17 Nov 2008].
Jain said Thakuriapara in Rajapara under Hajo police station had 59
families, of which 24 rear poultry in their backyard on a commercial
scale.
The deputy commissioner said 20 teams had been formed to carry out
the culling operations and all the associated paraphernalia were in
place.
The movement of birds had earlier been restricted to a radius of 5 km
(3.1 mi) of Thakuriapara to prevent the disease from spreading,
though till this evening veterinarians only suspected it to be bird
flu.
A senior veterinary official from Delhi, AB Negi, arrived in Hajo
yesterday [26 Nov 2008] for observation and supervision of the
operations if the need arose.
Jain said nearly 30 000 birds would be culled. "The entire operation
is likely to take about 3 days," he said.
For each small chicken culled, a cash compensation of [INR] 20 [USD
0.40) would be paid to the owner, while INR 50 [USD 1.00] is the rate
for bigger birds. For ducks, the compensation ranges from INR 75 to
INR 160 [USD 1.50 to 3.60] depending on their size and breed. Each
egg that is destroyed, on the other hand, will fetch INR 2 [USD 0.04]
as compensation. "We will pay the compensation on the spot," Jain
said.
The official said there was no need to ban the sale of poultry
elsewhere in the state because of bird flu in one village.
Hajo, which is about 40 km (25 mi) from [Guwahati, Assam state
capital], provides a significant part of Guwahati's poultry
requirements.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Mary Marshall
[An additional newswire, with data of the daily mortalities observed
in each of the affected holdings, is available at
<http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/details.asp?id=nov2808/at06>.
An official OIE notification on this renewed epizootic in India has
been submitted to the OIE on Fri, 28 Nov 2008, including laboratory
confirmation of H5N1 and a map; see at
<http://www.oie.int/wahis/public.php?page=single_report&pop=1&reportid=7566>.
- Mod.AS]
[India declared to the OIE on 31 Oct 2008 that it was free of bird
flu, having resolved its last 2 outbreaks on 11 Apr 2008 -- see:
<http://www.oie.int/wahis/public.php?page=event_summary&reportid=6678>
India's reports to the OIE do not show any outbreak in West Bengal in
July 2008, as reported in the press -- see ProMED archive
20080803.2379 below. - Mod.JW]