Bird flu: Uttarakhand health dept ask district-level teams to remain alert

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], January 11 : After thousands of birds died due to avian influenza across the country, the Uttarakhand Health Department has issued an advisory asking all the Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) to keep district-level rapid response teams trained for any emergency situation.
The Chief Medical Officers have been instructed to be fully alert about the bird flu. They have also been asked to ensure the availability of the antiviral drug oseltamivir.
Uttarakhand Director of Health Dr Amita Upreti in a letter to CMOs said that the cases of bird flu have been reported from various states of the country.
"There is information that avian influenza is spreading in the country. Hence some actions are needed to be taken," Upreti said in the letter to CMOs.
The health department has asked the CMOs to ensure the inclusion of one veterinary officer from the animal husbandry department. It has asked the CMOs to hold talks to various concerned departments and co-ordinate with them. It has asked them to report the death of birds (if any) in an unusual event to the Integrated Disease Surveillance Project of the health department.
The Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has said that bird flu has been confirmed from seven states-- Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh.
"States have been requested to build awareness among the public and avoid the spread of misinformation regarding AI. States/ UTs have been requested to increase surveillance around water bodies, live bird markets, zoos, poultry farms, proper disposal of the carcass, and strengthening of bio-security in poultry farms," the Ministry said.