# 2643
Today's declaration of `bird flu free' status in Assam seems more than a little premature and may be more the result of local political and economic pressures than anything else.
Normally, at least a 21 day surveillance period is required (including restrictions on the movement and sale of poultry) after an outbreak has ended. Most nations use this 21-days without an outbreak period to determine when to lift restrictions.
Culling operations, according to news reports, were still ongoing in Assam less than 2 weeks ago, and bird deaths were still being reported by the media on December 26th.
The OIE only recognizes a country as being `bird flu free' after 3 months without an outbreak.
In fact, India had just achieved `bird flu free' status three weeks before this latest outbreak began, as was reported by The Hindu.
India loses bird flu-free status
Gargi Parsai
Tuesday, Dec 02, 2008
NEW DELHI:Barely three weeks after India declared itself to be free from the highly pathogenic Avian Influenza (Bird Flu), the deadly disease showed up in Kamrup district of Assam last week.
Consequently, India has notified the World Organisation for Animal Health(OIE), about the outbreak of the disease and has lost its bird flu-free status.
A country has to be completely free from the disease for at least three months to be notified as such.
The ban on poultry sales in Assam has reportedly cost the economy 18 crore Rs (180,000,000 Rupees or about $3,750,00 US) since late November, which seems to have been a factor in this declaration.
Of course, even waiting the OIE's requisite 3 months doesn't guarantee that the virus won't return. India has been declared `bird flu free' several times over the last few years.
Still, the local government seems to be taking a bit of a gamble by declaring themselves free of the virus - and allowing the sale of poultry - this quickly.
We'll just have to wait and see how this gamble pays off.
Assam declared bird flu-free, chicken back in market
Guwahati, Jan 10 : Assam has been declared free of bird flu and the ban on sale of poultry products has been lifted, according to an official notification issued by the state government last night.
Commissioner of Assam government's Animal Husbandry department Shyam Mewra issued the order which came as a sigh of relief to the poultry farmers.
The government order did not specify the reason behind the withdrawal of the order. However, there were no reports of any fresh outbreak of bird flu from any part of the state in the past one week.
According to the poultry farmers association a staggering Rs 18 crore had been lost since sale of chickens was banned on November 17.
Nearly 4.34 lakh birds, including commercial and backyard poultry, were culled till last week, state Veterinary Minister Kher Sing Engti said on Wednesday.
No unusual mortality of birds was reported from any part of the state since December 24, Mr Engti informed the Assembly in a written reply.
Of the total birds killed, 3.32 lakh were from 250 commercial farms and rest from backyard poultry farms, he added.
To combat spread of bird flu the government had taken steps as per action plan of the Centre and it included culling of poultry and ducks within the three km radius of the epicentre where bird flu was detected, he said.--- UNI
