We're back after a long day...from snow flurries in Stockholm to the standing wave of passenger hysteria at London Heathrow to consoling rain in Vancouver. Today's big story seems to be this one, widely covered and here reported in The Hindu: Karnataka : 3,600 turkeys die of bird flu in 13 days at Hesarghatta. And it's H5N1, though this report doesn't say so. Excerpt:
Following the death of 3,600 turkeys in 13 days at the Central Poultry Development Organisation (CPDO) at Hesarghatta, near here, the State government has sounded an avian influenza alert. Declaring an area within a 10-km radius of the CPDO an alert zone, the government has prohibited preparation and sale of chicken dishes in eateries.
Minister for Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services Revu Naik Belamagi told presspersons here on Friday that the CPDO had culled 700 turkeys. However, other species of birds on the 150-acre campus, including poultry and emu, did not show signs of avian influenza.
People need not panic as the influenza has not spread as of now, he added. Besides turkeys, the CPDO has about 13,500 ducks, 19,000 poultry and 350 emus.
According to Principal Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, Aravind Jannu, following continuous deaths of turkeys, the CPDO sent samples of blood to the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory, Bhopal, which confirmed avian influenza.
Following this, department officers visited the CPDO and conducted preliminary survey. The Chief Secretary convened a high-level meeting on October 24 which was attended by personnel from the Health and Police departments and the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike.
The meeting decided to sound alert in 68 villages in the 10-km radius of the CPDO and create awareness among the people about avian influenza commonly called bird flu, Mr. Jannu said.
