Bird flu scare: Gujarat culls 2,000 birds ahead of PM’s Vibrant event

With less than a week to go for its four-day mega-event, Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2017 — to be inaugurated here by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 10 — the State authorities have culled around 2,000 birds as the suspected avian flu (H5N1 virus), more commonly known as bird flue, is rearing its head again after February 2006 which had claimed at least one life.

Taking no chances, Gujarat _ which had experienced an unprecedented plague scare in 1994 following some cases of the dreaded disease detected in south and central districts — has sounded high alert in a 1-km area and declared a 10-km radius around a poultry farm in Hathijan area of Ahmedabad district as a ‘regulated zone’. The authorities have restricted all movement of birds, eggs, bird droppings, farm machinery and other equipment used in this industry in the designated area.

Until Wednesday afternoon, the officials had already culled more than 1,500 birds, as per norms of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the guidelines issued by the Government of India, said Babubhai Bokhiria, Minister for Animal Husbandry. Culling is expected to continue until required.

The State Government swung into action as soon as the samples of seven dead birds and three blood serums of live birds from the facility of an NGO, Asha Foundation, in Hathijan area, tested positive. “We had received 80 guinea fowls and 40 turkeys rescued from Crawford Market of Mumbai. Last week, seven of the turkeys died and we informed the animal husbandry department, which sent the samples to National Institute of High Security Animal Disease (NIHSAD), Bhopal,” Harmesh Bhatt, founder, Asha Foundation, said.

Ahmedabad district collector Avantika Singh said that 12 rapid response teams had been deployed at Hathijan and had begun sanitizing the area. “So far, no case of avian flue has been recorded from any part. We will ensure that there is no impact on the Vibrant Gujarat event,” she said.

Bird flu, as the nomenclature suggests, primarily occurs in birds which carry the virus naturally. If it spreads to other birds, they can die. Human beings handling these birds are at a high-risk of contracting the virus that can prove fatal. “In the beginning, the symptoms are cough, cold or headache in those with a high immunity level and severe chest infection in those with a low immunity level,” Dr Bipin Patel of the Department of Medicine, Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad, said.

The State Government has also put on high alert all the beat guards across bird sanctuaries in Gujarat which has five major sanctuaries at Nal Sarovar (Ahmedabad-Surendranagar), Thol (Mehsana), Khadija (Jamnagar), Porbandar and Kutch. During winters, these bird sanctuaries attract a lot of tourists.

Other than bird sanctuaries, the government has instructed Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad to be ready in case of any human contracting the virus. “As per the government instructions, we have set up a separate isolation ward with 20 beds and equipped it with the latest equipment. The personnel required to manage the ward, too, have been provided with special suits,” Dr M M Prabhakar, Medical Superintendent, Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad, said.

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