Top health officials will review anti bird flu projects in Bengal

Kolkata, Jan 21 : Union Minister of State for Health, Pana Baka Lakshmi, will review health projects related to bird flu in West Bengal today.

State Health Minister Dr. Surya Kantya Misra and West Bengal Government officials will attend the meeting.

Culling operations in the five districts of Birbhum, South Dinajpur, Burdwan, Nadia and Murshidabad are continuing in full swing.

Over 55,000 chickens have been culled in South Dinajpur alone.

The State Government has set a target of over four lakh poultry birds to be culled in the next few days.

Meanwhile, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Anbumani Ramadoss has clarified that there was no reported case of people being affected by the bird flu.

Ramadoss said that part of the problem in addressing the disease was its global scale.

"We cannot stop birds coming from other countries. It is not only India's problem, as it has also spread to European countries and Africa," he added.

As per the latest information, a total mortality of 98,254 poultry birds has been reported from Birbhum, Dakshin Dinajpur, Murshidabad, Nadia, South 24 parganas, Burdwan and Bankura Districts of West Bengal.

High Security Animal Disease Laboratory (HSADL) report in Bhopal has revealed that a sample from Bankura District has also tested positive.

A total of 64 Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) carried out culling operation in Birbhum District and 38 teams in Dakshin Dinajpur District.

Sixteen RRTs were deployed in Murshidabad District for intensive surveillance.

A total of 79 samples have been already sent to the HSADL from Howrah, South 24 Parganas, Hooghly, Kolkata, Burdwan, Bankura, Nadia, Malda, Pashim Midnapore and Birbhum Districts.

One joint team of this Department and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has already proceeded to Jharkhand and Bihar to monitor the situation on the ground there.

Teams for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation in Orissa and the North Eastern States have also been constituted and are expected to move shortly to the respective areas.

A close monitoring of the situation is being done by the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries.

ANI