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Bird flu infected dead birds lay in open at farms

Several dead chickens could be seen disposed off in open
Hyderabad: Negligence of government officials came to the fore on Saturday as several dead chickens could be seen disposed off in open at a pond near a bird flu affected poultry farm.
The bird flu strain detected at the farm is high pathogenic influe-nza and the virus could affect the other birds. According to villagers, “A 55-year-old man retrieved hundreds of dead chickens which reportedly got flushed into the pond from the poultry farm after heavy rains before the culling operation started.” However, the retrieved chickens were left along the channel which carries water to the pond and are getting decomposed.
The man took part in the retrieval operation, without wearing any protective gear. He said, “I was appro-ached by gram panchayat officials to take out dead chickens from the pond. No one in the village had the courage to do it. I retrieved the chickens, which were later buried in nearby pits. Some were burnt. During the retrieval of chickens, water kept getting into my nose and even in the mouth.”
He said he was given just one dosage of bird flu drug on that day.
TS team gets rap on bird flu issue:
The state government authorities were rapped on Saturday by a team of three central scientists who are in the city to have an overview of medical measures being taken to avoid spreading of bird flu to human beings.
As per the Central government’s guidelines on avian influenza or bird flu, anyone who comes in contact with the poultry in bird flu affected farms should be administered prophylactic medicine with antiviral drug, Oseltamivir, for ten days.
However, the state health officials failed to give the preventive drugs to 500 workers, involved in culling operations at the five poultry farms at Hayathnagar. All these workers were brought in from four districts in the state — Nalgonda, Mahbubnagar, Ranga Reddy and Hyderabad.
One of Central scientists criticised the state health officials for not keeping a record of the workers involved in the culling operations.
After the rap, the health department officials are busy gathering the details of all these workers to send them the drugs.
The scientists also visited Gandhi Hospital to take stock of the preparedness in the hospital in case of a bird flu outbreak among humans. Dr G. Srinivas Rao, joint director, epidemics cell, said a new bird flu ward will be started with five beds soon at the hospital. Dr K. Narasimhulu, Swine Flu Nodal Officer, Gandhi Hospital feels that the hospital’s flu division is well equipped to handle bird flu cases also, if required.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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