The Hindu : Front Page : "No new case of bird flu"

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 26, 2006

Front Page

Front Page

"No new case of bird flu"

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The Government on Saturday `clarified' that there were no fresh cases of avian influenza. The `clarification' came following reports that several new cases of the disease had been detected at Uchchal in Surat district of Gujarat.

A statement issued by the Department of Animal Husbandry (Ministry of Agriculture) said the poultry farms of Uchchal taluk adjoin the infected area of Navapur in Maharashtra, where the disease was first detected. The Gujarat Government had sent a few samples from Uchchal for testing after reports of large-scale death of poultry in Navapur and these samples have tested positive for the bird flu virus at the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory in Bhopal.

The affected birds have been culled in the affected region and Maharashtra has banned any outside movement of poultry from the State. "Clean-up and disinfection operations are continuing in Navapur and Uchchal, and measures have been taken to contain the spread of bird flu in the region," the statement said.

No need for panic

PTI reports:

The incident of bird flu at Uchchal should not be seen as a new case as the place fell within a two-three km radius of Navapur, Animal Husbandry Secretary P.M.A. Hakeem told PTI in New Delhi.

``There is absolutely no need for panic as Uchchal falls in the infected Navapur zone. This should not be seen as a separate incident as the two areas are adjoining,'' he said.

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