Sunday, February 26 2006 14:23 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Navapur: Even though the actual reason for the outbreak of bird flu in the poultry farms here has not been ascertained yet, migratory birds coming here could have laid the seeds for the virus, according to a senior World Health Organisation (WHO) official.

"It is not possible to critically state the actual cause of bird flu. The Bhopal-based High Security Animal Disease Laboratory (HSADL) has confirmed H5N1 bird flu virus in the region. My presumption is that the virus has been brought here by the migratory birds coming to the large water bodies here,"

WHO Regional Advisor (Communicable Disease Surveillance and Response) South-East Asia, Dr Subhash Salunke told sources here.

Salunke was here to take stock of the steps taken by the administration to control spread of bird flu virus.

"These migratory birds could have played a major role in seeding the virus here. However, even if presume that these birds contaminated the water bodies with its droppings, human population is notat danger as this is not a water-borne disease," Salunke said.

"We have witnessed high mortality in the migratory birds in this region. The blood samples have been sent to HSADL Bhopal for testing. The reports are yet to be received. But we are suspecting that they may have been carrier of this virus," he said.

He said that this crisis would not have turned so grave had the poultry farm owners maintained basic hygiene in their premises by periodic cleaning of the cages.

To contain the virus, we have recommended active surveillance public health education, stock piling of Tamiflu medicines and continuous clinical management of suspected cases and preparedness for the future. Now India has to prepare for the future and take lessons from this experience, Salunke said.

According to him, after the entire decontamination work is over, the focus would be on documenting the experiences of the officials in dealing with the crisis. This could become an international guideline for such future crisis.

Also the government should now concentrate on formulating a formal poultry policy, Salunke demanded.

The WHO official expressed satisfaction with the surveillance steps taken here and said that this helped in reducing the load of the virus. He added that even after the decontamination process is over, the surveillance has to continue for next few months to keep the situation under control.

We have provided necessary steps to control the virus from spilling on to human beings. All the birds around the infected area have been culled and steps been taken to ensure no bird remains alive.

Used medicines, paper plates, food remains all are being duly disposed off, Salunke said. WHO has also assisted by supplying the paediatric syrups for children, Tamiflu medicines and giving required technical guidance to both the states Maharashtra and Gujarat, he said.

Total medicines supplied include 9,700 capsules of Tami Flu and 63 bottles of syrup along with 2,250 personal protection kits.

"I can assure that after such extensive steps, people need not to panic," Salunke said.