Panic like situation in Tripura as bird flu spreads

Agartala, Apr 1 (UNI) Panic gripped Tripura following reports of the outbreak of avian influenza in Bangladesh.

With reports of the outbreak of the disease in the neighbouring country, which shares 856-km-long border with Tripura, a small number of people are now buying chicken from the market in the state out of the fear of bird flu.

Due to the flu, prices of chicken came down remarkably by Rs twenty to thirty per kgs.

A state government official said all possible steps have been takne to prevent the outbreak of killer disease in the state.

''We are trying to create awareness about the disease among the people,'' the official said.

The government is keeping close vigil on the bordering areas of the state to prevent illegal import of chicken from Bangladesh following the Centre's direction last week to the state government.

The Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry has alerted the state governments, mainly those sharing international borders with Bangladesh and Mayanmar.

With the outbreak of the disease in the neighbouring country, more than two thousand poultry farms in the state had been affected.

Experts have collected blood samples from about 200 birds and sent for test outside the state, official sources said. A 71-member team, including Veterinarian's doctors, has been constituted to keep close watch on the disease in the state.

The Centre has alerted the Asom government to keep an eye on the international border along Bangladesh to prevent the entry of bird's from that country.

Last year, the outbreak of the disease was reported in Maharastra and Gujarat.

The Asian Development Bank is currently helping Bangladesh to control the outbreak of the disease. About 55,000 chickens have been culled since the outbreak of avian flu was confirmed in 11 farms near Bangladesh's capital Dhaka last week.

UNI