Mizoram alert against possible bird flu outbreak

Aizawl, Apr 5 (UNI) The Mizoram government has sounded an aleart against a possible outbreak of the dreaded bird flu (H5N1) while taking all possible precautionary measures, such as sealing the international borders against movement of poultry and pigs.

''The government has taken every possible precautionary measure against bird flu. The international border has been sealed from March 20, 2007 in this connection,'' said an official statement of the State's Animal Husbandry&Veterinary department.

The statement added that the department had conducted monthly checking of poultry for the disease ever since it was detected in Maharashtra and Gujarat last year. The statement said samples taken from the birds are sent to the regional disease diagnostic laboratory in Kolkata.

According to the statement, the Vet department has worked non-stop from last year to prevent the disease from entering the state with officers and field staff, especially those in the animal surveillance checkposts, working tirelessly.

The department has already conducted two trainings on bird flu last year which was attended by officers not only from the Vet department, but from the Forests and Health departments. Training was again conducted this year in February for 44 Vet officers and field assistants.

Apart from Kolkata, samples taken from 1600 chickens have been sent to the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory in Bhopal. To stop the disease from entering the state, the Vet department has stocks of chemicals and disinfectants as well as personal protective equipment, the statement said.

UNI