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NEPAL: On alert against bird flu

KATHMANDU, 27 January 2009 (IRIN) - The authorities in southeastern Nepal are stepping up anti-bird flu measures after the first case of a bird found to have the deadly H5NI virus was discovered earlier this month. There have been no reports of humans affected.

To date 26 out of 75 districts in the densely populated Terai region in the south of the country bordering India have been placed on high alert.

The move follows the virus’s detection in the town of Kakarvitta, Jhapa District, bordering on the Indian state of West Bengal, nearly 450km southeast of Kathmandu, on 16 January.

“We are taking all measures to prevent further infections among birds,” said Manas Kumar Banerjee, coordinator of the Health Ministry’s Avian Influenza Control Project (AICP).

An emergency cabinet meeting on 19 January ordered the culling of all birds within 3km of Kakarvitta. As of 26 January, more than 23,000 had been culled. All poultry meat, eggs and production facilities in the area were to be destroyed.

Ban on Indian products

Nepal has been concerned about a possible outbreak since India reported its first case in 2006: Large amounts of poultry were imported from the Indian states of West Bengal and Bihar, but Nepal has now banned the import of all poultry products from its neighbour.

The Word Health Organization (WHO) described a January 2008 outbreak of bird flu in West Bengal as the worst ever in India.

The decision to ban poultry products would remain in tact unless international institutions certified that an epidemic no longer existed in India, according to Dalaram Pradhan, director-general at the government’s Department of Livestock Services (DLS).

The authorities have also warned Nepalese traders against illegally importing birds, promising firm action against violators.

Police and health officials have started checking vehicles suspected of carrying birds or poultry meat from India, and more than 50 families with coughs or respiratory problems have been investigated.

Kathmandu has sought New Delhi's help in controlling the spread of bird flu, as well as stopping the illegal export of birds.

Preparedness

Since 2006 when bird flu was detected in India, the AICP has been supported by the UN and World Bank, and the latter has provided a grant of more than US$18 million for the AICP over four years.

Although there have been bans by the authorities on the import of Indian poultry and eggs, they were very poorly implemented, said a local public health expert.

In the past the UN has warned that Nepal was vulnerable, given the large number of migrating birds.

According to the WHO, since 2003 there have been 399 confirmed human cases of avian influenza worldwide, of whom 251 died.

WHO remains concerned that the H5N1 virus might mutate or combine with a highly contagious seasonal influenza virus to spark a pandemic that could kill millions of people.

nn/ds/cb

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