# 2564
With new reports of bird deaths in Assam and West Bengal states, authorities in India are attempting to limit the transport of poultry across state and national borders.
Bihar officials state they are on high alert following the outbreaks in West Bengal.
From New Kerala.com:
"It is very necessary to seal the border if the disease has come near Bihar border. Last time also, the border was sealed and so this time also it should be done," said S.R. Singh, Principal, Veterinary College, Patna.
And from express buzz, we get this report from the Indian state of Orissa, which is attempting to prevent the transport of poultry by sea into their region.
Bird flu: Sea routes under vigil
Last Updated : 18 Dec 2008 02:14:26 PM IST
KENDRAPARA: The district administration has sealed the sea routes in the district to check entry of poultry through sea from West Bengal. District Collector Sishirkanta Panda said officials of Mahakalpada and Rajnagar have been directed to keep a tab on the sea routes after the State Government banned supply of poultry from West Bengal following detection of bird flu cases.
The district administration held a meeting Tuesday to chalk out plans to check entry of poultry. The Chief District Veterinary Officer (CDVO) and other senior officials of the district attended. A committee was formed under the chairmanship of the District Collector to take proper steps to prevent the spread of bird flu from West Bengal to Kendrapara.
Rapid Response Team (RRT) was also formed in all nine blocks of the district. A veterinary assistant surgeon (VAS), two livestock inspectors, one ‘Go Mitra’, Zilla Parishad members and social workers will constitute
And from Reuters we get this report of India sealing part of their border with Bangladesh. India has long maintained that their bird flu problems have come from Bangladesh, which saw hundreds of H5N1 outbreaks in 2007 and 2008.
UPDATE 1-India seals part of Bangladesh border over bird flu
KOLKATA, India, Dec 18 (Reuters) - India sealed part of its border with Bangladesh on Thursday amid fears the latest outbreak of the H5N1 bird flu virus had spread to new areas, officials said.
Authorities in West Bengal state have killed about 10,000 birds in the Malda district which borders Bangladesh since Tuesday, despite resistance from villagers who want more compensation, after tests proved a new outbreak in the area.
"We have already sealed the border with Bangladesh along Malda district to check the spread of bird flu through chickens and ducks smuggled in from the other side," West Bengal's animal resource development minister Anisur Rahman told Reuters.
Hundreds of thousands of birds have also been culled in India's northeastern Assam state and neighbouring Meghalaya since an outbreak was detected there last month.
While there has been no recent outbreak in Bangladesh, India's impoverished neighbour suffered a severe bird flu epidemic starting in March 2007. Millions of birds were culled, costing the poultry industry hundreds of millions of dollars.
