Published Date: 2012-02-19 10:17:29
Subject: PRO/AH> Avian influenza (16): India (BH) crow, H5N1
Archive Number: 20120219.1046187

AVIAN INFLUENZA (16): INDIA (BIHAR) CROW, H5N1
*******************************************
A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org

Date: Sat, 18 Feb 2012
Source: The Times of India [edited]
http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/avian-flu-killing-jharkhand-crows-virology-institute


Crows are dying in Bihar from bird flu
--------------------------------------
It is official now. Crows are dying in Bihar because of bird flu. This was revealed in the report of the Bhopal-based High Security Animal Disease Laboratory (HSADL), officials said on Saturday [18 Feb 2012].

The HSADL has confirmed in its report that avian influenza was killing the crows in Gaya district.

After the confirmation, the Bihar government has directed the animal husbandary department officials to begin necessary measures to deal with the situation.

According to reports reaching Patna, crows are continuing to die across the state. Hundreds of crows have died in Bihar in the last one and a half months, particularly in Gaya, Banka, Nawada, Jamui, Bhagalpur, Munger, and Aurangabad districts.

The Bihar Animal Husbandry Department (AHD) has sounded an alert and has asked people not to touch the dead crows. It has issued advertisements in local dailies asking people to keep away from the dead birds and inform the administration when they spot any.

"Some measures have been taken to control the situation and check possible spread of any kind of infection," officials said. Health department officials suspect the crows are infected with the H5 and H1 avian viruses. "Human beings should stay away from the crows." Last month, neighbouring Jharkhand had reported similar mass deaths of crows.

--

communicated by:
ProMED-mail from HealthMap Alerts
<promed@promedmail.org>

[Avian influenza outbreaks in poultry caused by H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus were confirmed in a nearby state, West Bengal, in Aug/Sep 2011 (ProMED-mail archives 20110909.2747 and 20110923.2882). Then there were reports of crows dead due to H5N1 in the neighboring state Jharkhand. No associated poultry cases were reported in this episode nor in the past one of Jharkhand. HPAI H5N1 virus is not transmitted from human to human, so an outbreak in people would depend on the exposure to infected reservoir hosts.

A map of the area can be accessed at http://healthmap.org/r/1ix2. Mod.PMB]

See Also

2011
---
Avian influenza (76): India (JH) crow, H5N1 20111205.3536
Avian influenza (75): India (JH), crows, susp. RFI 20111202.3517
Avian influenza (60): India (WB) H5N1 conf, RFI 20110923.2882
Avian influenza (59): India (WB), susp. RFI 20110921.2868
Avian influenza (57): India (Assam) new outbreak, OIE 20110909.2747
2006
---
Bird die-off - Nepal 20060330.0958
Avian influenza (29): India (TR) new outbreak 20110322.0902
Avian influenza (27): Bangladesh, India 20110306.0745
2010
---
Avian influenza (17): India (TR), H5, OIE 20110219.0548
Avian influenza (03): India (WB) OIE 20100115.0184
.................................................pmb/sh