H5N1 Culling Expands to Bihar India
Recombinomics Commentary 11:51
January 23, 2008
Katihar district authorities have been directed to coordinate with their counterpart in Malda and carry out culling of chicken in six panchayats identified as Khasota, Mimaua, Deogaon, Sitalpati, Garghatu and Anarsinghpur in Katihar district, he said.
The above comments describe the culling of chickens in the Katihar district of Bihar, which is adjacent to West Bengal (see satellite map). Although Bihar claims no poultry deaths, the culling in areas adjacent to the Malda district in West Bengal, suggests H5N1 may be moving into the region.
Today H5N1 was confirmed in Cooch Behar and samples were collected from ten dead migratory birds, suggesting that the H5N1 spread is being facilitated by migratory and domestic wild birds. Two dead teals near Calcutta have been described previously, and dead crows, pigeons, hawks, and owls have been noted in areas with excessive poultry deaths, including multiple districts where H5N1 has been confirmed.
The dead wild birds suggest that the sealing of the West Bengal border will not be effective, and H5N1 will continue to spread into regions adjacent top West Bengal.
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