Centre asks UP to keep close vigil after bird flu outbreak

In the wake of avian influenza in the Amethi district, Centre has asked the Uttar Pradesh government to intensify surveillance throughout the state for curbing the spread of infection.
The UP government has also been asked to formally notify the disease outbreak for control and containment measures as per action plan on Avian Influenza.
Earlier this week, Uttar Pradesh government had sounded bird flu alert following avian influenza outbreak in Amethi.
The alert came after an expert team confirmed a "highly pathogenic avian influenza" outbreak in Amethi, where 350 birds, chicken and ducks died of a mystery disease on March 6-7.

"After having found samples positive in RT-PCR and Real time RT-PCR H5N1 AIV from Amethi District of UP by National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal, Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture have asked State Govt of UP to intensify surveillance throughout the state to monitor further spread of infection," an official statement said.
The Centre has asked the state to send the details of requisite information including provisional poultry population in 1 km and 10 km radii of the epicenter, number and names of the villages in 1 km and 10 km radii of the epicenter, number of Rapid Response Teams (RRT's), geographical location of the place and the map of the epicenter demarcating 1 km and 10 km radii from the epicenter.

The Centre said that state should immediately take necessary actions such as declaration of infected and surveillance areas, restricting access to the infected premises; destruction of birds and disposal of dead birds and infected materials among others.

It also directed the State to take other measures like clean-up and disinfection followed by sealing of the premises and issue of sanitisation certificate, post operations surveillance and imposition of legislative measures etc. Along with other requirements laid down in the Contingency Plan (2005) of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
"In addition to the culling strategy, surveillance will be carried out over radius up to 10 kilometers from the epicenter," the statement said.

A daily report on the control and containment operations has to be furnished to Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries by 10 AM, it added.
Earlier this week, UP government's Director (Horticulture) Rudra Pratap had said: "There is no Bird Flu scare in Uttar Pradesh. All the necessary precautionary measures were taken in seven villages of Amethi, where it has been contained and 833 birds including hens, pigeons were culled and their cages disinfected".