Suspect H5N1 Patients in Isolation in Bolpur West Bengal India
Recombinomics Commentary 20:08
January 20, 2008
Talking to UNI after paying a surprise visit to the Bolpur Sub-Divisional Hospital and Primary Health Centre, she said, ''Despite the Centre extending all possible cooperation in tackling the situation as well as providing masks, ventilators and other necessary equipment to contain Avian Influenza, the state government has failed to handle the alarming crisis created by the outbreak of bird flu.'' Ms Lakshmi alleged that the condition of the isolated wards in which the affected patients were being treated and which she had personally overseen, was 'abject'.
''There are no proper beds and other essential equipment and they are also found wanting in hygiene and safety precautions,'' she said.
The above comments suggest suspect H5N1 patients are in isolation in Bolpur (see satellite map). Earlier reports had indicated that none of the 700 patients in Birbhum with respiratory problems were bird flu patients because they had no contact with birds and did not have lower respiratory tract infections.
However, the dramatic spread of H5N1 in Birbhum suggests many of the 700 patients had H5N1 exposure through wild or domestic birds. Moreover, H5N1 infections do not always lead to lower respiratory conditions.
There have very few reports of suspect cases in West Bengal, even though villagers were eating birds that had died, and were handling dead birds with PPEs.
More detail on the number and condition of suspect H5N1 patients in isolation would be useful.
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