# 2543
More than two weeks after the first bird deaths were reported in Assam state, in North East India, culling operations are still ongoing.
According to at least one news source , "the whole of the Brahmaputra River Valley is the grip of the arrival of bird flu".
Laidback Al, on Flutrackers, is well known for his maps of bird flu affected areas. He has highlighted and outlined the afflicted areas of Assam for us below:
Although the Indian National government (The `Centre') has ordered Assam to finish up the culling operations by the 16th (Tuesday), fresh outbreaks put that goal in doubt.
This report (Hat tip Treyfish on Flutrackers) comes from Assam's The Sentinel.
A fortnight over, but H5N1 still spreading to fresh areas
By our Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Dec 13: After his two-day-long review of the bird flu situation and preventive measures taken by the Asom Government, Union Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Secretary N Gokul Ram today said culling operations have been completed in five of the nine locations in six districts where occurrence of bird flu has been detected.
Gokul Ram, who wound up his two-day visit to the State today, however, said: “Bird flu had been detected in Manipur and Tripura earlier, but the two State Governments could make the affected areas free from H5N1 within five days by totally shielding the places of occurrence.
In Manipur, it took only three days to eliminate the virus. A fortnight has elapsed, but the virus is still spreading to fresh areas in Asom. I don’t know what’s wrong here. The preventive measures taken by the State Government, however, are satisfactory.”
When asked as to why the virus could not be controlled in Asom, Gokul Ram could not give a satisfactory reply. He, however, said the situation is under control. “There has been no report of human infection of bird flu from any place in the country. As many as 93 rapid response teams (RRTs) have been engaged in the culling operation in the State.”
Four people, including two officials involved in the culling operation, have been placed under surveillance after complaining of `flu-like' symptoms. Lab samples have been collected for H5N1 testing.
Thus far, no human cases of bird infection have been detected.
Meanwhile, in some villages, some potentially infected birds are being exempted from the cull for religious reasons, and were `sacrificed' instead. No word as to whether PPE's were utilized during these `sacrifices'.
This report from ThaiIndian News (hat tip Kobie on the the Flu Wiki)
Religious beliefs hampering culling in Assam
December 14th, 2008 - 7:49 pm ICT by IANS -
Guwahati, Dec 14 (IANS) Religious and superstitious beliefs are coming in the way of culling of poultry in Assam where bird flu has spread to new areas posing serious health risks to humans, officials Sunday said. “We are in a very delicate sort of a situation, although there are no reports of humans contracting bird flu so far,” V.P Rana, a central health ministry official, told IANS.
Four people, including two veterinary officials involved in the culling operations, were put under surveillance and blood samples collected after they complained of fever and cold in western Chirang district of Assam.
“We have sent blood samples of four people to a laboratory in New Delhi to ascertain if they had contracted the bird flu virus. There were some 150 more people who had earlier complained of fever and cold, although we had ruled out the virus infecting these people,” Parthajyoti Gogoi, another central health ministry official, said.
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Tribal villagers in western Chirang district resisted authorities culling poultry and instead carried our chicken sacrifices as part of a local religious festival.
“We did not allow the authorities to cull our chickens as we need them for sacrificing as part of the festival. God is there to help us and nobody in our village would fall sick,” Monolal Basumatary, a community elder, said justifying their refusal to cooperate with the culling process.
Local authorities were in a fix.
“We cannot use force to kill the birds as that might hurt religious sentiments. We have been trying our best to convince the populace that culling is the only way to prevent bird flu from spreading further and also the risk of humans contracting the virus,” P.P. Baruah, Chirang district magistrate, said.
