New
bird flu cases confirmed in Maharashtra
New
Delhi: Doctors in New Delhi have confirmed that a fresh
outbreak of avian influenza among chicken has been detected
in Maharashtra and Gujarat. "Surveillance of poultry has
been further intensified within the country consequent upon
notification of Avian Influenza in Navapur and Uchchal areas
of Maharashtra and Gujarat on February 18 this year. Several
poultry samples were received by High Security Animal Disease
Laboratory (HSADL), Bhopal from Jalagaon district of Maharashtra
towards the end of February," Union Animal Husbandry Joint
Secretary Upma Chaudhary said. Officials said that they
were checking whether the latest outbreak, which occurred
in backyard poultry, was of the deadly H5N1 strain that
has killed around 100 people, mostly in Asia. In recent
weeks, bird flu has spread deep into Europe, got on a hold
in Africa and flared up again in Asia.
Chaudhary
said that four villages in Jalgaon, which is a home to around
75,000 poultry, have been alerted after four samples out
of 22 taken from poultry in the hamlets tested positive.
"Some of these samples have tested positive for Avian Influenza
(H5). Notification declaring outbreak of Avian Influenza
in four villages of Jalagaon district has been issued. These
villages are Hated village of Chopada Taluka, Sawada village
of Raver Taluka, Salve village of Dharangaon TAluka and
Marul village of Yaval Taluka," she added. Jalgaon is a
district away from Nandurbar, where India reported an outbreak
of the deadly H5N1 strain on February 18. Hundreds of thousands
of chicken were culled in Navapur town in Nandurbar and
neighbouring areas after the outbreak of disease. The initial
outbreak had resulted in the loss of millions of dollars
to the huge poultry industry in India where it is estimated
more than half the one billion population eat chicken occasionally
or regularly.
In Jalgaon, the government said, it has started culling
of chicken in the area. "Control and containment operations
will be undertaken in the 10- kilometer radius of the four
villages. The poultry in the 10- kilometre zone will be
destroyed by Rapid Response Teams of Veterinarians of the
State Government of Maharashtra," Chaudhary said, adding
more than 50 rapid response teams have been sent to the
newly-hit region.
Meanwhile,
the control and containment operations in Navapur and Uchchal
areas of Maharashtra and Gujarat where Avian flu was notified
on February 18, 2006 are nearing completion. In Gujarat,
the culling operations have been completed. The disinfection
and clean up operations have been concluded and the farms
have been sealed. Compensation has been fully paid to the
poultry farmers whose birds were killed in the control operations.
In Maharashtra's Navapur area, culling has been completed
and compensation to poultry farmers has been paid. Eighty
percent of the work of disinfection and clean up has been
completed. Over 0.4 million birds have been killed in Maharashtra
and Gujarat on 57 farms. The number of eggs that have been
destroyed in control operations is more than 14.75 lacs.
Other infected materials such as feed, feed ingredients,
egg trays, feathers have also been destroyed. The surveillance
plan has been operationalised in Navapur and Uchchal areas.
Surveillance of poultry has been further intensified within
the country.
More than 4 lakh birds have been killed in Maharashtra and
Gujarat on 57 farms so far. The number of eggs that have
been destroyed in control operations is more than 14.75
lacs. Other infected materials such as feed, feed ingredients,
egg trays, feathers have also been destroyed. After the
Navapur outbreak, India tested more than 100 people for
bird flu but all the results proved negative. The government
said it would step up surveillance of residents in the villages
in Jalgaon and local authorities were taking blood samples
of people in the area who had close contact with poultry.
Poultry owners to get Rs 40 for every bird culled
Jalgaon
(Maharashtra): The Maharashtra government on Wednesday
said that the poultry owners of Jalgaon district would be
compensated with Rs 40 for each bird which would be culled
by the authorities to minimise the possibility of "bird
flu" outbreak of in the Jalgaon district. Speaking to the
reporters, the state Animal Husbandry Minister Anees Ahmed
said, "The rate for each bird culled by the authorities
would be Rs 40." "There would be no deviation from our originally
fixed price," he added. Recallling the earlier case of the
Navpur on February 18, 2006 where more than two lakh chickens
were culled following the outbreak of bird flu virus the
minister said "Like in Navapur, here also we have decided
to pay compensation to the poultry owners for the number
of birds culled by the officials." However, adding further
he said, "Those culled by the owners will not be considered
for payment."
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