Bird flu outbreak: Experts heading for Keranga

BHUBANESWAR: The phenomenon of crow deaths continues to spread  across districts adding to the worries of the State Government which is besieged with the lurking danger of a bird flu outbreak in the Keranga region of Khurda district.Even as experts Dr Taracharan Pan from the  Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Kolkata, and Dr Biswas from the Union  Ministry of Agriculture, arrived here to take stock of the situation at Keranga, reports of more crow deaths in Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar districts were received on Tuesday. With around five birds reportedly dead in a single group, the Animal Disease Research Institute (ADRI) on Tuesday dispatched a team to collect samples and keep watch on developments in the regions. “We received information on death of around five crows in a group at Betanati in Mayurbhanj district. The team is collecting the samples and sanitising the area,” ADRI Director Dr Chittaranjan Swain said.Reports of mass crow deaths had started pouring in from the later part of December from Paradip in Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur Town, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj and Khurda districts.While Keranga is seen as highly affected zone with more than 100 crow deaths, till date over 300 samples of crows and poultry birds have been sent to the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory at Bhopal. But barring confirmation of the two H5N1 positive samples of a dead domesticated hen and a duck from Keranga, the Government is yet to receive reports of other samples.Meanwhile, the experts from Kolkata and New Delhi left for Keranga to observe and guide surveillance as well prevention and control measures being undertaken by the Animal Resources Development Department and the Khurda district administration. The Government has infused massive deployment of animal health experts into Keranga, which has virtually been put under a security shield and declared a Restricted Zone. “We have deployed 30 veterinary doctors, 60 livestock inspectors along with other personnel from the district administration, forest and police for round-the-clock surveillance. Five Rapid response teams have also been kept in readiness. People are being told not to touch any dead bird and inform the surveillance personnel immediately,” Director of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services Benudhar Das, who has been camping at Keranga for the last two days, said.

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