More Ill Birbhum Cullers
Recombinomics Commentary 00:48
January 25, 2008
Ø A total of 758 persons [516 in 0-3 Km area and 242 in 3-10 km area] with fever/URI have been detected in during surveillance. In the identified hospital 257 cases of fever/URI have reported.
Ø No suspected human cases of Avian Influenza has been detected.
A total of 1142 animal health workers [veterinary surgeon, poultry workers, cullers, spraying workers etc.] have been medically examined/ followed up and 7 have been found unfit. All are under chemoprophylaxis.
The above comments from the Indian Governemnt Ministry of Health and Family Welfare January 23 report on Birdhum are cause for concern. It suggests that 257 suspect cases have been hospitalized and seven cullers are too sick to work, even though they are receiving Tamiflu.
The data coming out of West Bengal seems to rely on a lack of testing for good news. Patients and birds have not been H5N1 confirmed because they have not been tested. Earlier media reports described five cullers from Birbhum with symptoms who tested negative. while the above report from yesterday appears to describe seven more.
A report for Thursday has not been issued. Similarly the report on bird testing and culling no long includes the number of samples collected for testing.
Although testing is either not being done or not being released, birds continue to die and culling continues to expand. Media reports also describe hundreds of goats dying in Birbhum.
Moreover, the entire West Bengal district is being sealed.
More testing results on the sick cullers, hospitalized patients, and dead birds / goats would be useful.
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