Thousands of poultry culled to limit spread of bird flu

After the confirmation of thousands of bird death due to H5N1 avian flu virus, Centre asked the state government to cull about 4 lakh bird in two districts Birbhum and South Dinajpur of West Bengal on Wednesday.

While the culling operation is led by veterinary workers within the radius of three – five kilometers of affected areas the workers have to undergo various problems catching the birds due to opposition by villagers.

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Thousands of birds are being disinfected within the radius of 10 kilometer to avoid further spread of this deadly disease and vets have rolled their sleeve to convince the villagers to maintain strict hygiene practices. According to World Health Organisation this is the worst bird flu outbreak in India, however no human has been reported of the infection.

The border of the state is sealed to stop the smuggling of poultry birds in other state and to neighboring country Bangladesh.

Earlier too there have been out break but was controlled with appropriate action. The last outbreak was in 2006 at Navapur in Maharashtra and in Manipur in last year.

The H5N1 virus has troubled more than 60 countries; as a result millions of bird has been culled to avoid its spread. It has been ascertained that in all cases physical contact with infected bird was the main reason than to human –human transmission for which no evidence has been found.

WHO give an account of 206 people who died of bird flu infection worldwide, but the situation has come as a catch for India which was declared bird- flu free in New Delhi during International Ministerial Conference on Avian and Pandemic Influenza few months back.

Though the disease still remain as a mystery regarding its transmission but Bangladesh where several cases of bird flu epidemic have been reported. Infected migratory bird is also one of the main causes of the spread of this disease.