Accelerating H5N1 Spread in Bangladesh
Recombinomics Commentary 00:48
January 17, 2008
The fowls were killed after 404 chickens of a poultry farm in Dhalua village in Sadar sub-district of Barguna died in the last two days.
A team of the district administration and local livestock department culled 20,157 chickens, 590 ducks, 515 pigeons and a parrot.
More than 10,000 chickens were culled Monday and Tuesday in the country's southern city of Barisal following detection of avian influenza in two indigenous varieties of hens.
The above comments describe the daily updates on confirmed H5N1 in Bangladesh (see satellite map). These confirmed cases are in addition to suspect as well as rumored outbreaks that are not reported.
The massive outbreaks in eastern West Bengal suggest H5N1 is spilling across the border, which has now been sealed. However, the dead wild birds in India suggest border closings will not halt the H5N1 spread.
Bangladesh is densely populated and has had H5N1 outbreaks earlier this year. However, the reported new outbreaks continue to rise in both Bangladesh and India.
Increased surveillance and testing in both countries would be useful.
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