INDIA: Orders B.F. testing kits today

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   Humans affected? Could be, says govt

(The Statesman (India) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)Statesman News 

Service NEW DELHI, Feb. 22. The Centre today said there was a distinct 

possibility of some humans having contracted avian influenza in affected 

areas at a time when authorities finished culling birds at Navapur in 

Maharashtra. After the Pune-based National Institute of Virology sent its 

report of tests conducted on human samples from Navapur, the Union 

health secretary, Mr PK Hota, told reporters here that some human 

samples are under various stages of being analysed and we will come to 

know for sure by tomorrow. 

We do not rule out the possibility of humans being affected, it is a distinct 

possibility. He, however, said even if humans did test positive, it would be 

a mild episode. The Centres warning came four days after the news of 

bird flu outbreak in Maharashtra poultry farms became public. The 

slaughter of birds suspected to have contracted the virus and destruction 

of eggs have been completed in Navapur. 

The disposal of excreta is likely to begin tomorrow. A meeting was called 

by health ministry officials late this evening to take stock of the situation. 

Officials from the animal husbandry department were also present. The 

government, which had been insisting so long that bird flu testing kits 

were not necessary, today decided to place orders for them. Some reports 

reaching here from Navapur tehsil in Nandurbar district said two to nine 

persons there had contracted the disease for sure. 

The town has been sealed and placed under a 14-day quarantine. While 

1,800 chicks have died in Higoli town of Maharashtra, the Centre said it 

was yet to receive a status report on it. The Union health ministry said the 

situation was being closely monitored and under control. 

In addition, 19,687 people in a 3-km radius of the infected zone have 

been screened and 56 cases of URI were detected, but they have no 

history of having come in contact with infected poultry. In addition, 90 

farm workers in the affected area are under surveillance and all are 

asymptomatic. Health status of cullers is being monitored. None of them 

has fever, the official statement read.

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Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: INDIA: Orders B.F. testing kits today Posted: February 22 2006 at 2:04pm
	Humans affected? Could be, says govt (The Statesman (India) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)Statesman News Service NEW DELHI, Feb. 22. The Centre today said there was a distinct possibility of some humans having contracted avian influenza in affected areas at a time when authorities finished culling birds at Navapur in Maharashtra. After the Pune-based National Institute of Virology sent its report of tests conducted on human samples from Navapur, the Union health secretary, Mr PK Hota, told reporters here that some human samples are under various stages of being analysed and we will come to know for sure by tomorrow. We do not rule out the possibility of humans being affected, it is a distinct possibility. He, however, said even if humans did test positive, it would be a mild episode. The Centres warning came four days after the news of bird flu outbreak in Maharashtra poultry farms became public. The slaughter of birds suspected to have contracted the virus and destruction of eggs have been completed in Navapur. The disposal of excreta is likely to begin tomorrow. A meeting was called by health ministry officials late this evening to take stock of the situation. Officials from the animal husbandry department were also present. The government, which had been insisting so long that bird flu testing kits were not necessary, today decided to place orders for them. Some reports reaching here from Navapur tehsil in Nandurbar district said two to nine persons there had contracted the disease for sure. The town has been sealed and placed under a 14-day quarantine. While 1,800 chicks have died in Higoli town of Maharashtra, the Centre said it was yet to receive a status report on it. The Union health ministry said the situation was being closely monitored and under control. In addition, 19,687 people in a 3-km radius of the infected zone have been screened and 56 cases of URI were detected, but they have no history of having come in contact with infected poultry. In addition, 90 farm workers in the affected area are under surveillance and all are asymptomatic. Health status of cullers is being monitored. None of them has fever, the official statement read.

Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: February 22 2006 at 2:16pm
	"The town has been sealed and placed under a 14-day quarantine. While 1,800 chicks have died in Higoli town of Maharashtra, the Centre said it was yet to receive a status report on it. The Union health ministry said the situation was being closely monitored and under control." This is a huge story ! I hope the mainstream press pick it up. 14 days is a long time for the un-prepped. The part that worries me is that the Union Health Ministry says "the situation is under control". Reminds be of President Bush in New Orleans saying to Brown, "You're doing a heck of a job."

Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: February 22 2006 at 2:50pm
	they seem to be delaying on the samples. Excuse is to make sure by double checking. I think its already positve and they know it but leaving it further 24hr to annouce. Need time to get their sticks out to control a panicking population.

Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: February 22 2006 at 3:09pm
	[February 22, 2006> Rapid response team ready for any eventuality (The Times of India Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)CHANDIGARH: A rapid response team comprising doctors has been formed, just in case there is any suspicion of a bird flu outbreak in Chandigarh. The team is monitoring the situation round-the-clock. Also, foresters and four forests guards have been trained from the Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Jalandhar, to take all kinds of samples -- blood, faecal and sputum. Such samples are already being collected from the resident as well as migratory aquatic birds from Sukhna Lake and sent to Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Jalandhar. These samples have even tested negative. Samples of the migratory birds will also be taken this week with the help of Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) located at Pinjore. The residents have been advised not to touch any migratory bird or any dead bird. They were requested to report any such death to the chief wildlife warden immediately. A team of doctors will be sent to the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, Delhi, for three days' training from February 28 to March 2. Doctors at Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, and PGI have been asked to remain prepared for any outbreak of avian influenza. General Hospital, Sector 16, has kept ready two rooms, one for male and other for female patients to tackle the situation effectively in case of bird flu. These rooms are with all facilities like ICU, ventilator, automatic analyser et al. The director health services took a meeting of all SMOs, CMOs and incharges of dispensaries to draw a detailed action plan to tackle bird flu in case of an outbreak. Earlier, a meeting was held in the wake of the outbreak of avian influenza in parts of Maharashtra. SK Sandhu, finance-cum-secretary environment and forests, convened a meeting with the director, animal husbandry and poultry, director health services, chief wildlife warden and medical officer of health to review the progress on the action plan already drawn by the respective departments for preventing the ingress of the highly pathogenic avian influenza. http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/-rapid-response-team-ready-any -eventuality-/2006/02/22/1398398.htm