With avian flu or bird flu plaguing the North Eastern states of the country, Tamil Nadu is pulling out all stops to prevent it from entering the state as the virus could affect humans as well.

In an attempt to create awareness on avian flu and other types of influenza, experts from the Influenza Foundation of India have planned a national conference next week at the King Institute of Preventive Medicine. The IFI is also planning to devise a “Stop Influenza Policy 2012” and submit the report to the government for further analysis.

The conference would have veterinary doctors, students and paramedics from all over the country gathering together to discuss surveillance, diagnostics, treatment and control of influenza and all other respiratory diseases.

Doctors say that the H1N1 (swine flu) virus has mutated into the avian flu virus but fortunately no cases have been diagnosed in the state so far. “When swine flu spread rapidly in 2009 we were caught off-guard. It was a pandemic we were not prepared for. So to prevent the same from happening again we are preparing ourselves against avian flu,” said sources at the institute.

“The main objective of the conference, which will have experts sharing their knowledge about influenza, will be mainly to learn more about it so we can educate the public on preventive measures,” added the source.

Doctors, however, assure that there is no need to worry about the spread of the virus as poultry farm owners in the state have been instructed on how to prevent the virus from affecting their fowls and detailed guidelines have been issued to them with regard to this.