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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