H5N1 Explodes in Bangladesh
Recombinomics Commentary 13:25
February 3, 2008
The latest outbreaks were reported in southwestern Gopalganj, northeastern Sylhet and northern Mymensingh district, officials said.
The port city of Chittagong was put on high alert after some dead crows tested positive for the H5N1 virus, local officials said.
The above comments describe the dramatic spread of H5N1 across Bangladesh (see satellite map here and here). The confirmed cases extend from northern districts bordering Meghalya, down to the southern port city of Chittagong.
Once again H5N1 has been confirmed in dead crows. The finding of the crows in the heart of Chittagong generated panic there, but the breadth of the confirmed cases is consistent with earlier media reports indicating bird flu in Bangladesh was much more widespread than reported.
Although adjacent West Bengal is finishing culling of 3,000,000 birds, the limited testing in the areas being culled suggest more H5n1 will be found in West Bengal.
Consistent with the above, adjacent regions have started precautionary culls, and regions districts adjacent to West Bengal have also been sealed from the remainder of India.
However, the confirmed H5N1 outbreaks in Pakistan suggest that the border sealing efforts will fail.
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