Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Sunday, Feb 19, 2006
Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Sunday, Feb 19, 2006 |
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Health Agri-Biz & Commodities - Poultry Bird flu virus caused poultry deaths in Maharashtra: Minister Over 50,000 birds dead in Nandurbar district Our Bureau
Mumbai , Feb. 18 THE H5N1 bird flu virus was behind the recent death of a large number of poultry birds in Maharashtra, a State minister claimed on Saturday. "Tests at the Animal Disease Laboratory, Bhopal, have confirmed that the birds died of bird flu virus," Mr Anees Ahmed, Minister for Animal Husbandry & Dairy Development, Government of Maharashtra, said. Over 50,000 birds have died during the last few days in Navapur taluka in Nandurbar district. An estimated five lakh birds were likely to be affected by the virus, he said. A special medical team from Delhi and 200 veterinary doctors have been despatched to the site. On its Web site, the Atlanta-based Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has noted, "influenza A (H5N1) virus - also called H5N1 virus - is an influenza A virus subtype that occurs mainly in birds, is highly contagious among birds, and can be deadly to them. H5N1 virus does not usually infect people. Most of these cases have resulted from people having direct or close contact with H5N1-infected poultry or H5N1-contaminated surfaces." A wire agency report quoting the State's Animal Husbandry Commissioner said culling operations would start on Sunday.
Test results awaited, says poultry sector
The poultry industry's representatives were yet to agree with the Maharashtra Minister, Mr Anees Ahmed's view. They said that tests to confirm the presence of the bird flu virus were still on and results were awaited. Mr O.P. Singh, CEO, Venkateshwara Group, said that about 30,000 samples had been sent to the Poultry Diagnosis Research Centre for tests. The centre is a part of the Venkateshwara Group, leaders in the domestic poultry business. Further, he said, the Disease Investigation Department of Maharashtra had indicated three days ago that the birds died of Newcastle or Ranikhet disease. "Tests are yet to be completed. Newcastle disease is not communicable to humans," he said. According to Mr A.R. Subba Rao, Executive Vice-President, Godrej Agrovet, Indian poultry farmers were quite conscious of bio-security measures and implemented them stringently. There was fear that the poultry industry, which has been growing at around 10 per cent per annum, would be hit by the latest developments.
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