Likely H5N1 Spread in Birbhum West Bengal
Recombinomics Commentary 12:40
March 9, 2008
Panic has gripped Metela, a remote village of Bhirbum District following the discovery of hundreds of dead poultry in a fresh outbreak of bird flu in the region.
According to villagers, at least 700 chickens have died in the last four days.
“The face of the chicken turns black and saliva comes out of their mouths and within 10 to 15 minutes we find them dead,” he added.
The villagers also said that no officials have visited the area and they have not received any instructions so far.
“The way the virus has struck us, if the necessary precautions are not taken in time the whole village will be ruined,” said Shibananda Mondal, another villager.
The above comments provide further support for H5N1 in Birbhum, at a location distinct (see satelite maps here here here) from the culling of confirm H5N1 in Murshidabad. The comments also support the control of confirmed H5N1 by simply limiting testing.
Metela is one of three villages in Birbhum reporting excessive poultry deaths.
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