Bird Flu Outbreak: Assam Veterinary Department Urges Govt to Ban Poultry from other States

GUWAHATI: In the midst of several reports of poultry, crows, migratory bird deaths in as many as five states in the country, the other states are stepping up vigil to monitor bird movements and unusual deaths in forest areas.

Along the same lines, the State Veterinary Department has urged the home and political departments to put a ban on the import of poultry concerning the outbreak of bird flu or Avian influenza in the country, as Assam imports chicken on a large scale from other parts of India.

The State animal husbandry and veterinary department have further asked all its district officers to carry out selected virological surveillance of wild migratory birds in nesting areas as well as carry out surveillance in wet and live poultry markets, poultry supply areas, with a high duck population, water bodies where wild and domestic birds congregate. However, there is no news about the immediate culmination of birds from the government yet.

Prodeep Kumar Gogoi, the deputy director of the Animal Health Centre in North Eastern Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (NERDDL) said, "Migratory birds are known to spread infection from one place to another. The monitoring of sickness in poultry and among wild birds is of paramount importance to detect and help prevent the spread of the disease." Gogoi in his letter to all district animal husbandry and veterinary department officers further added that "All field veterinary units should immediately start collecting samples of bird found sick and sending them to NERDDL." 

Emphasizing on the same, Gogoi also said that the state can handle the outbreak of bird flu only if there is ample supply of chemicals, equipment and disinfectants at the district level. "Infected birds should not be allowed to come to the state for commercial purposes," said Manoj Saikia, Chairman of the Assam Livestock and Poultry Corporation Limited (ALPCL).

The Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India in an official release said, "Effective coordination with the state forest departments was also emphasized for immediate reporting of any unusual mortalities in non-domestic birds in forest areas and around water bodies," said by the Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India in an official release.

Meanwhile, there is no direct evidence that Avian Influenza or H5N1 viruses can be transmitted to humans via the consumption of contaminated poultry products. H5N1 is a type of influenza virus that causes "highly infectious, severe respiratory disease in birds called avian influenza", according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Also read: Don't panic, avoid undercooked meat & eggs, say experts on rise of 'Bird flu'

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