Status Report on Avian Influenza in Assam and West Bengal as on 30.12.08
	13:13 IST

WEST BENGAL             Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, GOI has notified Avian Influenza Outbreak in Englishbazar block, Malda District of West Bengal on 15.12.2008.  Containment measures are continuing. Culling operation completed.   220 animal health workers are under chemoprophylaxis. 96 health workers have been deployed for active surveillance. Surveillance data is at Annexure-I. The State Govt has adequate  stock of ventilators, PPE and Oseltamivir Assam The first notification of Avian Influenza in Assam was in Hajo block of Kamrup district on 27.11.2008. Since then 17 other epicenters have been notified. The details of the epicenters are at Annexure-II. Containment operations have been instituted in the new epicenters.  Brief of containment operations  ·         Culling activities has been completed in all earlier notified blocks. Mopping up and sanitization are underway. So far a total of 4,22,246 birds have been culled. ·         A total of 297 Animal Health workers, who were deployed for the culling activity are on Chemoprophylaxis. Surveillance ·         Central government has deployed RRTs to cover all epicenters. They are working with the  state RRT teams. ·         Active house to house surveillance for 10 days post culling/ mopping is over in Rajabazar [Hajo block], Sarpara [Rampur], Central Chick farm [Khanapara] in Kamrup district, Katajhar [Gobardhana block] of Barpeta District, Khelwari Para pt II [Boitamari Block] of Bongaigaon district and Kathla [Paschim Nalbari] of Nalbari District. In these areas passive surveillance is continuing.   ·         In the remaining affected areas active house to house surveillance is being followed in 0-3 km zone In 3-10 km area surveillance is conducted in phases. As per the reports received,  a  population of 2,74,690 was covered in 0-3 Km area and 1,47,250 in 3-10 km area. ·         120 cases of Upper Respiratory Infection [URI] with fever were detected [57 in 0-3 Km and 63 in 3-10 Km]. None of them had  history of handling dead or sick birds.  ·         45  cases of URI with fever in the outpatient department were detected in the identified health facilities. ·         897 Health Workers are deployed for surveillance. ·         Available details of epicenter-wise surveillance is at annexure-I. Logistics 40,000 capsules of Tamiflu, 12,000 surgical masks, 1200 personal protective equipments, 400 N-95 masks, 50 bottles of tamiflu syrup  and 8 ventilators have been supplied by MoHFW. Sufficient anti-viral drugs and PPE are in stock with the State Government. Communication ·         Messages to create public awareness are being telecast/ broadcast in local channels and AIR. ·         Local campaign such as miking and interpersonal communication is followed in all epicenters. Monitoring ·         The situation is being monitored on a daily basis.   DS/GK/Flu/429