New Delhi/Kolkata (PTI): Amid reports of culling teams leaving without undergoing the mandatory quarantine posing a potential health hazard, the Centre on Friday directed the West Bengal government to ensure that such people undergo the necessary tests before going back to their families.

All the cullers and veterinary staff are required to undergo compulsory quarantine and checking after the culling operations are finished in a particular area, senior health ministry officials said adding that there have been reports of the some personnel leaving without undergoing the mandatory isolation period.

"We have directed the West Bengal Government to call such officials back and ensure that they undergo the procedural checks and the quarantine period," the officials said.

Meanwhile, in Kolkata, the West Bengal government admitted there were lapses in quarantining culling teams which left without being isolated and cullers returned to their families posing a potential health hazard.

"Noting the initial lapses, directives have been issued that culling team members must be quarantined for seven days to prevent contracting the H5N1 virus," Animal Resourcxes Development minister Anisur Rahaman said.

Reports from some of the affected districts like Birbhum and Murshidabad earlier said that some culling team members left quarantine to meet their families posing a potential health hazard.

On January 28, 180-185 Animal Resource Development department personnel who had gone to Birbhum district on January 20 from other parts of the state for culling in Rampurhat I block, the first to be declared bird flu-hit in the state, left without permission or being quarantined.