National

2.35 lakh birds culled in Manipur

—Photo: PTI

CONTROL OPERATION: Members of the Rapid Response Team spray formalin on the premises of Manipur Governor Shivinder Singh Sidhu’s residence.

NEW DELHI: The Rapid Response Teams have culled over 2.35 lakh birds around bird flu-hit Chingmeirong village in Manipur despite the rain. Over 170 cullers in the field were under the cover of Tamiflu and were being monitored.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said there were no suspected human cases of avian influenza so far. Their door-to-door surveillance in affected and neighbouring districts reported fever/ acute upper Respiratory Tract Infection in 163 people.

Of them, four persons who had handled either a dead or a sick bird were being monitored. Medical teams consisting of 680 health personnel conducted door-to-door surveillance on July 30.

Of the 45,032 houses surveyed, 935 had backyard poultry. The survey was conducted in the Imphal Municipality area, Luwangsangbam, Koirengei, Lamlongei, Ahalup, Matai, Kontha, Achanbigei, Heingang, Laipham Siphai, Paomei Colony, Sangakpam, Khurai and Kairang area.

According to sources in the Animal Husbandry department, the number of birds culled on ground had gone beyond the initial estimates, as the backyard poultry units in the region were higher than expected.

Thirty teams of the Rapid Response Teams had been deployed for stamping out operations in the 0-5 km radius of the bird flu affected area . Of the 2.35 lakh birds culled , 50,000 birds were stamped out on Tuesday alone. So far, 22,938 eggs and 18,900 kg poultry feed have been destroyed.

Till July 31, Rs. 60 lakh had been paid as compensation, of which Rs. 29.26 lakh was disbursed in East Imphal district and Rs. 30.79 lakh in West Imphal district.

Intensive surveillance for any ‘unusual mortality’ or infected poultry continued in the 5-10 km zone.

In addition, door to-door intensive surveillance was in progress in 79 villages (41 in East Imphal and 38 in West Imphal) in the 5-10 km zone. Seven teams of veterinarians and other support staff were deployed for surveillance.

There is no report of any abnormal mortality or sickness in Manipur or rest of the country. There are no reports of inter-district smuggling of poultry birds.

The Rapid Response Teams and the district police of adjoining districts had been instructed to control such activities.

Cleaning and disinfection is also under progress in the 0-5 km zone.

“There is a good response from the public and non-government organisations and this had accelerated the containment and control operations,” the sources said.

The isolation ward at the J.N. Hospital, Imphal has been prepared in case of any eventuality. Two ventilators have been installed to provide critical care. This is in addition to the critical care facilities available at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal.

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