Via the Morung Express in the Indian state of Nagaland: No Bird flu yet… but stay on guard. Excerpt:
Even as the Dimapur Municipal Council went on the assault by seizing and destroying poultry products around Dimapur, the department of Veterinary & Animal Husbandry, has assured there are no avian influenza cases in the state as yet.
But the caution remains, that poultry and related products should not be imported from across the border.
The department’s director Dr. Y. Yisao Lotha said there is no outbreak of bird flu in the state as yet. He advised the public against spreading rumors to avoid creating unnecessary panic.
While maintaining that the public is free to consume meat of poultry reared in homes and backyards, the director however, cautioned that by no means poultry and its products should be imported from across the border.
The director of Veterinary & Animal Husbandry visited the Dimapur District Veterinary office on December 29 in connection with the outbreak of avian influenza in the neighboring state of Assam. The Government of Nagaland, in a subsequent action following the outbreak in Assam, imposed ban on import of poultry and all poultry products.
During his visit, the director held a review meeting with officials of the Dimapur district at the District Veterinary & Animal Husbandry. Following the meeting, the Rapid Response Team (RRT) accompanied the director, in visiting some poultry farms in nearby villages including the poultry farm at the “under-privileged tribal children home” at Padam Pukhuri.
The director who was accompanied by District Veterinary Officer Dr. VH Shohe and a team of doctors, interacted with the care taker of the farm and enquired about the health of the birds.
A press release issued by the District Veterinary stated, that about 1000 birds in the farm were found to be ‘quiet normal’.
