The Hindu Business Line : No case of bird flu infection among people, says Govt

DESPITE senior officials indicating on Wednesday that there was a distinct possibility of the H5N1 virus infecting human beings in Maharashtra, the Government today said that no person had been affected by the virus.

Speaking to newspersons, Mr P.K. Hota, Secretary, Health Ministry, said: "The virus from the bird could be transmitted to humans and there is a distinct possibility that such a transmission has taken place."

This information was based on preliminary reports and a final confirmation is expected by tomorrow. Even if the human tests were positive, it would be a "mild" infection, he added.

However, after a late evening emergency meeting between Government officials, a statement issued described reports of two persons having tested for the influenza as "mere speculation."

"As of 8 p.m. today there is no case of avian influenza. The 12 people kept in isolation for observation in Navapur are normal," the statement said.

The Government had sent about 95 samples to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune and the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) in Delhi for testing.

The Government, however, has said that caution should be maintained. It has urged people in contact with poultry to wear protective gear and report symptoms to the nearby public health facility.

Mr Hota also said that the Health Ministry has made available additional Rs 80 crore to strengthen the preventive measures.

"We have made available additional Rs 80 crore to fight the disease and have asked States to use their resources generously."

The Government has also invited tenders for supply of one million courses (10 million capsules) of Tamiflu (oseltamivir phosphate).

"We have doubled our earlier demand of 10 million capsules as the matter pertains to serious public health and have also banned retailing of the drug directly in the market as it could have serious adverse affects."

Mr P.M.A. Hakeem, Secretary, Animal Husbandry Department, said that warming of temperature would help in arrest of the spread of the virus.

Ms Upma Chawdhry, Joint Secretary, said that the culling operations in the 3-10 km radius in Maharashtra and Gujarat are almost over and the spillovers would be dealt with quickly.

As many as 73,157 birds have been culled in Gujarat and Rs 22 lakh has been paid to poultry farmers and individuals as compensation. In Maharashtra, 2,08,892 birds have been destroyed.