# 1501
The news this morning, thus far, has pretty much been exclusively about the outbreaks of bird flu in India. These reports, which are coming fast and furious, paint a disturbing picture of what is going on in West Bengal.
In the first five days, according to reports, only 100,000 birds have been culled. That was the goal for the first day, to cull 100,000 birds.
The residents of these villages, for the most part, haven't been educated on what bird flu is, and why it is dangerous, and so many are refusing to cooperate and hide their chickens.
Even some of the cullers and members of the disinfecting teams, who are doing dangerous and emotionally draining work, are often doing so without full protective gear. Adding to the dangers, four cullers were apparently set upon by a gang and beaten yesterday, and one culler reportedly hung himself in his room.
Meanwhile, despite assurances that there are no human cases of bird flu in India, health centers in the afflicted area report turning away hundreds of fever victims - undiagnosed, and without Tamiflu - which is in short supply (again, contrary to government statements).
Excerpts from four articles this morning:
Bird flu: 100,000 birds culled in Bengal in five days
Kolkata, January 20, 2008
Around 100,000 poultry birds have been culled in West Bengal since Wednesday as the dreaded bird flu virus engulfed five districts, and the state government staved off criticism over its handling of the crisis.
"We have culled around 100,000 birds in the first four days and the culling operation is on in full swing. Now we have 250 Rapid Response Teams, each team comprising five people," West Bengal Animal Resource Development Minister Anisur Rahman told IANS.
The state had set a target of slaughtering 400,000 poultry birds but with the spread of the disease to new areas at least 200,000 more birds might now have to be killed.
The five districts are Birbhum, South Dinajpur, Murshidabad, Nadia and Burdwan with the last two being the latest to join the dubious list of H5N1 affected areas.
The minister said the culling was almost complete in Balurghat in South Dinajpur, about 375 kms from Kolkata.
Reacting to the central government's criticism of the measures taken in West Bengal, Rahman said that the flu outbreak in Maharashtra in 2006 was in a farm. "But here you have to deal with poultry birds in backyards. In many places, the villagers consider the poultry as part of their family and do not want to part with them," he said.
Culling team beaten up in Birbhum district
Posted at Sunday, 20 January 2008 11:01 IST
Suri (WB), Jan 20: Four members of a culling team in West Bengal's birdflu-affected Birbhum district were injured after they were beaten up by a mob at Nalhati today, the police sources said.A five-member team went to cull chickens in Nalhati municipality's ward no 1. After culling when they went to dump the dead chickens they were beaten up local people, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Rampurhat Mrinal Majumdar said.
Four-members of the culling team have been admitted to Rampurhat Hospital, the SDPO said.
The SDPO said that police was investigating the matter. "We are investigating to find the cause why the culling team was beaten up by the local people," he added.
This is the first case of any culling team beaten up in West Bengal where five districts have been affected by the deadly bird flu virus.
A Hat Tip to Flubergasted on the Wiki for posting this article.
The emotional toll of a culling operation should not be underestimated.
Margram (Birbhum), Jan. 19: They do not know bird flu and its deadly impact. But their work for the past three days have been to spray disinfectants on the wheels of every car that comes at Margram gram panchayat's Block II office either from the affected areas of the district or elsewhere. The 16 health workers of the district administration, divided in eight teams thus have been on duty day in and day out without any protective measures for themselves throughout the block.
"Neither have I any knowledge of bird flu nor I have any past experience of working during an outbreak," Mr Chittaranjan Das, 42, said on Saturday while spraying sodium hypochlorite, a disinfectant solution, on car tyres. He said that his only safety measure is his pair of gloves.
Wearing a blue plastic cap and normal clothes, Mr Das said, "I do not know whether I have been affected or not. My job is to ensure that others are not infected." Jyoti Das, 55, who has been accompanying Chittaranjan since the outbreak, echoed similar views. "This is the first time we are working in such a condition. Earlier, I have worked during the malaria outbreak here. But that was a different experience," Jyoti said. Moreover, they said that the local people like them have many misconceptions of bird flu.
***
Culling vet is found hanging
Balurghat, Jan. 19: A veterinary surgeon was found hanging in his guesthouse room here on Friday night, the police said.
The surgeon, Rajiv Patra, 30, was a culling team member in the bird flu-hit South Dinajpur district. No suicide note was found. (PTI)
And this one courtesy of Carol@SC on the Wiki, which appeared in the Indian Express.
Fever rising but no Tamiflu at epicentre
Margram, January 19: At Margram, the epicentre of bird flu, hundreds of villagers throng primary health centres everyday for Tamiflu only to be sent back with antibiotics and syrups. Tamiflu is a rare commodity not only in Government health centres but also at private chemists. And with a number of health staff opting out of the door-to-door survey because they have not been paid their allowances, quacks have a field day making a fast buck.
"At present we are giving Tamiflu only to Animal Resources Department staff and health surveyors, who are visiting villages. There is nothing to worry as this disease rarely affects humans. Regarding health surveyors, there was a problem with their allowance but this was due to bureaucratic tangles," said Sunil Kumar Bhowmik, Chief Medical Officer, Birbhum.
Everyday at Margram primary health centre on an average 120 patients visit the Out Patients Department of whom around 80 to 90 people have fever. At Bosua Block primary health centre, 220 patients visit the OPD daily and the fever frequency is between 150 to 170. But in neither of the places-the only Government-run health care facilities-Tamiflu is to be found.
At Margram centre, pharmacists hand out antibiotics and syrups and send the patients back home. "What can we do? Many are coming here with high fever. The doctors are busy at the bird flu control room at the BDO office. We had asked for Tamiflu, but the authorities declined the request. Therefore, we are treating patients for simple fever with common drugs,"
