Two Suspected Bird Flu Cases Detected in Odisha

�Bhubaneswar: Two suspected human cases of bird flu have been detected at Mangalpur Community Health Centre (CHC) in Odisha’s Puri district, raising the fear of spread of the disease in the locality and beyond.

Samples of the suspected cases were sent to Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC) Bhubaneswar for tests. Only after the results, any confirmation can be shared, the state health and family welfare department said on Wednesday.

Bird-to-human transmission is rare and it can happen in case of persons who are in contact with live birds, said Dr Pragyan Routray.

Odisha state public health director Nilakanta Mishra said that two suspected cases with symptoms have been detected. However, it cannot be said that they are positive. Their samples have been sent to RMRC and Pune Virology Centre. There is no need to panic as of now. The health department will present necessary facts after the RMRC report comes, said Mishra.

Bird Flu or H5N1 was recently detected in the chicken farms in two blocks (Pipili and Satyabadi) of Puri district by the National Institute of High Security Animal Disease. Following this, a mass culling of chickens has been underway in the infected pockets for the past couple of days.

Earlier, health minister Mukesh Mahaling said, “Our department is fully prepared, with health workers conducting door-to-door awareness campaigns and distributing Tamiflu medicine to those in need. N95 masks are also being distributed as part of the containment strategy."

The minister further said that the government is vigilant and is working in close coordination with animal husbandry departments; and, so far, over 30,000 birds have been culled as part of the containment measures.

In another development, state fisheries and animal resources development minister Gokulananda Mallik on Wednesday said all the poultry farmers affected by bird flu in Odisha will get compensation.

The minister said that the department was planning to provide compensation of Rs 20 for one small chicken and Rs 70 for bigger ones.

As many as two blocks in Puri - Pipili and Sakhigopal have witnessed outbreak of bird flu. Samples from both the blocks were sent to Bhopal for testing and the reports have come as positive.

Around 30,000 chickens have been culled amid the bird flu scare in the state. Sanitisation and other activities are reportedly being undertaken in the areas witnessing the outbreak of bird flu

The concerned department has also been directed to take necessary precautionary activities to check the spread of bird flu.

Moreover, prohibitory orders have been made for the transportation of chickens in the areas that have witnessed outbreak of bird flu.

People in the bird flu affected areas have been advised to refrain from consuming chicken. The owners of the poultry firms and the staff working there have been asked not to sell chickens. They have been advised to bury their poultry after culling them.