The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : State prepared to meet outbreak of avian flu

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Wednesday, Jan 23, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

State prepared to meet outbreak of avian flu

Special Correspondent

Panneerselvam dismisses rumours of the disease in Namakkal

— Photo: R. Ragu

STRESSING A POINT: Health Minister M. R. K. Panneerselvam with Director of Public Health P. Padmanaban, at a workshop in Chennai on Tuesday.

CHENNAI: Dismissing rumours of avian flu breaking out in Namakkal district, Health Minister M.R.K.Panneerselvam said here on Tuesday that preparations were under way to tackle the situation, should such an outbreak occur in the State.

Tamil Nadu, the second highest producer of eggs in India, is perceived to be a high-risk State.

Teams at the State and district level, comprising epidemiologists, physicians, microbiologists, entomologists and animal health specialists, have been formed for rapid response in emergency situations.

Their training will be conducted in the first week of February, Mr. Panneerselvam said. The State government had requested the Centre to provide 1,000 sets of personal protective equipment for poultry farm workers and those involved in culling.

In addition, mobile medical teams have been formed in Namakkal, Coimbatore, Erode, Karur, Salem, Dindigul, Villupuram, Vellore and Krishnagiri districts, identified as “avian influenza risk areas.”

The teams have been instructed to screen the high-risk groups every fortnight. Bird flu virus can be transmitted from birds to humans by direct contact with the infected poultry or surfaces and objects contaminated with bird faeces. Exposure is most likely during handling of birds, slaughter, feather-plucking and butchering. The Health Department has identified commercial poultry farms workers, cullers, workers at poultry farms and backyard poultry keepers as high-risk groups.

People who cook chicken or eggs should wash their hands with soap and water, P. Padmanabhan, Director of Public Health, said.

Symptoms

In humans, the clinical symptoms include high fever, body pain, viral pneumonia, difficulty in breathing and vomiting.

Dr. Padmanabhan said the State had requested the Union Ministry of Health to supply 50,000 tablets of Tamiflu (sufficient to treat 5000 people on a standard dose after exposure).

According to prescriptions, anyone who has contracted the H5N1 virus causing avian flu must take two (75 mg) doses of Tamiflu a day for five days. Treatment must start within 48 hours of exposure.

Tamiflu has not been made available in the market to prevent development of resistance in the event of indiscriminate use. Stocks will be distributed from one district and a small stock of drugs kept in Chennai, S. Elango, Additional Director of Public Health, said. Ventilators have been requested for the nine district hospitals. Toll-free numbers have been announced at the State and district level. Over the next few days, the mobile numbers of Village Health Nurses and the local primary health centre or hospital will be advertised, Dr. Padmanabhan said. Quarantine facilities will be established at district headquarters hospitals and government medical college hospitals.

Serum samples from birds will be sent to the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory in Bhopal and the regional laboratory of the Department of Animal Husbandry, Bangalore. Human samples will be sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune, and the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, New Delhi.

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