Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07KOLKATA157
2007-05-11 09:23:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Consulate Kolkata
Cable title:
POULTRY FARM IN NORTH BENGAL REPORTS LARGE NUMBER OF BIRD
how-toVZCZCXRO2166 PP RUEHBI RUEHCI DE RUEHCI #0157 1310923 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 110923Z MAY 07 FM AMCONSUL KOLKATA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1544 INFO RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 1462 RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 0644 RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 0639 RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 0415 RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 0421 RUEHGO/AMEMBASSY RANGOON 0275 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 0340 RUEHPH/CDC CDC ATLANTA GA PRIORITY RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE USD FAS WASHINGTON DC RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC RUEIDN/DNI WASHINGTON DC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 1904
UNCLAS KOLKATA 000157
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO KFLU AMED EAGR IN BG
SUBJECT: POULTRY FARM IN NORTH BENGAL REPORTS LARGE NUMBER OF BIRD
DEATHS
UNCLAS KOLKATA 000157
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO KFLU AMED EAGR IN BG
SUBJECT: POULTRY FARM IN NORTH BENGAL REPORTS LARGE NUMBER OF BIRD
DEATHS
1. (U) SUMMARY: In the first week of May, thousands of birds
have died at a poultry farm in Siliguri, located in Northern
West Bengal, near the border with Bangladesh. The Government of
West Bengal (GOWB) has sealed the poultry farm. Preliminary
health reports have found no evidence of an H5N1 Avian Influenza
(AI) but rather indicate a possible Infectious Bursal Disease
Virus. However, in view of the AI outbreaks in neighboring
Bangladesh, GOWB has put in place precautionary measures and
deployed equipment and personnel to investigate. The general
public has only limited awareness of the recent deaths and the
poultry industry in the state is still unaffected by possible AI
concerns. End Summary.
2. (SBU) May 4-8, around 2,500 poultry died in the
privately-owned Aziz poultry farm, located 11 miles South of
Siliguri town in North Bengal. The death of poultry birds in
such large numbers has raised concern. The town is located
close to India's border with Bangladesh, where there have been
outbreaks of H5N1 virus. The Aziz poultry farm used to export
to Bangladesh. Responding to the poultry deaths, a worried
Darjeeling district administration has sealed the farm and
posted a police cordon. A contact told Post, "We are not
allowing a single bird, dead or alive, to enter or go out of the
farm."
3. (SBU) Scientists and contacts in GOWB's Animal Resources
Department (ARD) have collected samples that have been sent to
the High Security Disease Detection Laboratory (HSDDL) in Bhopal
via Kolkata. Results are expected in a few days. Reportedly,
preliminary tests at Kolkata's ARD laboratory have indicated the
possible presence of Infectious Bursal Disease Virus (also known
as Gumboro disease) in the samples, which is rather common in
commercial broilers. IBDV afflicts new flock if the parent
birds are not properly inoculated. Contacts also told post that
the sudden rise in atmospheric temperature in Siliguri and the
excessive flock density in Aziz poultry may have triggered the
deaths.
4. (SBU) ARD has deployed protective gear and equipment in
Darjeeling and eight other districts located on India-Bangladesh
border. India has stopped poultry imports from Bangladesh since
the country reported outbreak of AI and as of March 25,
personnel from ARD, supported by the Border Security Force, have
been spraying vehicles coming in from Bangladesh. The outside,
the undercarriage and the wheels are being sprayed with sodium
hypochlorite solution. Our ARD contact said this chemical
releases chlorine which, in turn, kills the virus. The insides
of empty trucks are also being sprayed.
5. (SBU) COMMENT: While initial information indicates the
recent poultry deaths were not AI related, with Bangladesh
suffering H5N1 outbreaks, local health authorities are concerned
about the potential for AI and are putting in place controls.
The media is only now just focusing on the events in Siliguri
and so there has been only limited public awareness of the
situation and little immediate impact on the local poultry
industry.
JARDINE
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO KFLU AMED EAGR IN BG
SUBJECT: POULTRY FARM IN NORTH BENGAL REPORTS LARGE NUMBER OF BIRD
DEATHS
1. (U) SUMMARY: In the first week of May, thousands of birds
have died at a poultry farm in Siliguri, located in Northern
West Bengal, near the border with Bangladesh. The Government of
West Bengal (GOWB) has sealed the poultry farm. Preliminary
health reports have found no evidence of an H5N1 Avian Influenza
(AI) but rather indicate a possible Infectious Bursal Disease
Virus. However, in view of the AI outbreaks in neighboring
Bangladesh, GOWB has put in place precautionary measures and
deployed equipment and personnel to investigate. The general
public has only limited awareness of the recent deaths and the
poultry industry in the state is still unaffected by possible AI
concerns. End Summary.
2. (SBU) May 4-8, around 2,500 poultry died in the
privately-owned Aziz poultry farm, located 11 miles South of
Siliguri town in North Bengal. The death of poultry birds in
such large numbers has raised concern. The town is located
close to India's border with Bangladesh, where there have been
outbreaks of H5N1 virus. The Aziz poultry farm used to export
to Bangladesh. Responding to the poultry deaths, a worried
Darjeeling district administration has sealed the farm and
posted a police cordon. A contact told Post, "We are not
allowing a single bird, dead or alive, to enter or go out of the
farm."
3. (SBU) Scientists and contacts in GOWB's Animal Resources
Department (ARD) have collected samples that have been sent to
the High Security Disease Detection Laboratory (HSDDL) in Bhopal
via Kolkata. Results are expected in a few days. Reportedly,
preliminary tests at Kolkata's ARD laboratory have indicated the
possible presence of Infectious Bursal Disease Virus (also known
as Gumboro disease) in the samples, which is rather common in
commercial broilers. IBDV afflicts new flock if the parent
birds are not properly inoculated. Contacts also told post that
the sudden rise in atmospheric temperature in Siliguri and the
excessive flock density in Aziz poultry may have triggered the
deaths.
4. (SBU) ARD has deployed protective gear and equipment in
Darjeeling and eight other districts located on India-Bangladesh
border. India has stopped poultry imports from Bangladesh since
the country reported outbreak of AI and as of March 25,
personnel from ARD, supported by the Border Security Force, have
been spraying vehicles coming in from Bangladesh. The outside,
the undercarriage and the wheels are being sprayed with sodium
hypochlorite solution. Our ARD contact said this chemical
releases chlorine which, in turn, kills the virus. The insides
of empty trucks are also being sprayed.
5. (SBU) COMMENT: While initial information indicates the
recent poultry deaths were not AI related, with Bangladesh
suffering H5N1 outbreaks, local health authorities are concerned
about the potential for AI and are putting in place controls.
The media is only now just focusing on the events in Siliguri
and so there has been only limited public awareness of the
situation and little immediate impact on the local poultry
industry.
JARDINE