Central team visits Bhubaneswar to assess bird flu situation

A team of experts under the Union Health Ministry visited the bird flu affected areas of Bhubaneswar on Thursday.

The team assessed the spread of prevention plan which is being carried out by the health department.

Talking to media persons, Debashish Bhattacharya, who was a member of the team, said, "There has been a bird flu outbreak in Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology. For that, a three-member team from Central Emergency Medical Relief has been deputed here. We have come to assess the health status, what the health department and veterinary department are doing and whether the proper standard operating procedure has been followed or not."

"We have discussed with the Health Secretary and other concerned departments here and visited the infected areas. We have found that the steps taken so far are as per the guidelines of the central government and WHO," he said.

Bhattacharya added, "Culling of poultry birds has been completed within the one-kilometre radius of the infected area by the veterinary department. Now, they are conducting the disinfection process. Till now, we have no fever case."

According to the health department, the mobile medical teams will conduct the health checkups within the three-kilometre radius of bird flu infected area on a daily basis. Besides that, the area within the 10-kilometre radius is also being inspected and health checkups will be carried out.