# 2580
Despite the fact that they are taking Tamiflu prophylactically, and should be using masks and gloves as they work, anytime cullers fall ill during a bird flu cleanup it is worthy of attention.
The Times of India is reporting that 4 cullers in Malda, West Bengal have developed flu-like symptoms. One's condition is serious enough, he has been placed in isolation.
Three others are simply under observation.
Testing will undoubtedly be done on these workers, and we should get some results in a day or two. It should be noted that last winter there were reports of sick cullers in India, yet none ever tested positive for the H5N1 virus.
Meanwhile locals are reportedly resisting attempts to cull their chickens, threatening the culling teams at times with violence.
This report from the Times of India.
Four culling workers fall ill in Malda
22 Dec 2008, 0043 hrs IST, TNNMALDA: Four culling team members have come down with influenza-like symptoms in Malda. One of them has been admitted to the district hospital and is being under strict observation.
The condition of Md Ilyas (40), a culling worker from Satgharia, is believed to be the most serious. He has high fever and breathing trouble. "We have kept Ilyas in the isolation ward under observation," said chief medical officer of health (CMOH) Srikanta Roy.
The other workers to be taken ill are Khagen Sarkar and two men with the same name, Md Sajjad. Sarkar reportedly recovered after treatment, but all three of them have been kept under observation at Narhatta High School, the culling operation centre for the area. The trio are not being allowed to take part in culling and mop-up operations.
"Both Sajjads were asthma patients and were asked not to go out in the cold," said Roy. Sources said that named Dilip Halder, another culling worker, had fallen ill but the health department did not confirm this.
At least 112 people were reported to be suffering from cold and cough in the 3 km radius of Satgharia in English Bazaar. Roy maintained that they were not in any danger.
In the affected villages, people resisted culling teams fiercely, to the point that teams were threatened with arms at some places like Babupur and Satgharia. Culling workers alleged that mopping up operations were hampered as many chickens had run away and villagers resisted every effort to round them up. On Saturday, only 257 birds could be culled.
In some villages, women fought with culling workers to snatch away chickens that had been taken for culling. District magistrate Sridhar Ghosh conceded that resistance on the part of the villagers was posing a big problem. "We have asked police to engage more women personnel to tackle the women," said the DM.
