MANIPUR FINISHES AI BIRD CULL AND 550 CHICKENS DIE IN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KOLKATA 000234 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR AIAG - HSUMMERS, JLANGE, TNEWTON DEPT PLS PASS TO HHS - WSTEIGER, DBELL, CHICKEY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KFLU EAGR TBIO SENV CASC IN BM SUBJECT: MANIPUR FINISHES AI BIRD CULL AND 550 CHICKENS DIE IN NEIGHBORING TRIPURA -- TEST RESULTS PENDING REF: A) KOLKATA 219 B) KOLKATA 220 C) KOLKATA 226 D) KOLKATA 227 KOLKATA 00000234 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: On August 4 culling operations in response to the recent H5N1 Avian Influenza outbreak ended in Manipur, with an estimated 330,000 birds culled. Local authorities are now concentrating on surveillance and monitoring activities. Samples taken from four people living on the Chingmeirong farm, where the outbreak occurred and who had demonstrated "flu like" symptoms over the weekend, have tested negative for H5N1 virus. In the nearby state of Tripura, around 500 chickens died at the Divoyodayay Krishi Vigyan Kendra farm between August 1 and 3. The Tripura state government is conducting surveillance along the Tripura-Bangladesh border, is implementing decontamination measures, and is keeping Rapid Response Teams on standby as officials wait for the test results from the dead birds. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) On August 4, the the Manipur State Animal Resources Department completed culling and burial of poultry and domestic birds after the outbreak of H5N1 virus in the state. Around 330,000 birds were culled within a 3-mile radius of the infected farm at Chingmeirong, near Imphal. In addition to destroying domestic fowl, including chicken, ducks, and pigeons, the Rapid Response Teams destroyed 28,000 eggs and 25,242 kg of poultry feed. Media reported that Manipur government has given USD 175,000 as compensation to poultry owners for the culled fowl, eggs and feed. ¶3. (U) The Director of Manipur's Animal Resources Department told Post that his department was now concentrating on mopping-up and surveillance activities. Surveillance is being maintained within a 6-mile radius from the Chingmeirong farm, and door-to-door surveillance is continuing in 79 villages where culling has taken place. As of August 5, there have been no further reports of unusual poultry deaths in Manipur. ¶4. (U) 40 Rapid Response Teams of Manipur's Health Department are continuing their daily checks of the people living within the surveillance zone. Contacts in Imphal confirmed that clinical samples from four boys from the Chingmeirong farm, who were suffering from upper respiratory tract infections, have come back negative for the H5N1 virus. The boys were kept in isolation when they reported "flu like" symptoms on August 2. The samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune and also to the National Institute of Communicable Diseases in New Delhi. The samples tested negative in both laboratories. ¶5. (U) In Tripura, approximately 550 poultry died at the Divoyodayay Krishi Vigyan Kendra farm, which is located in the Chebri village in Khowai subdivision of West Tripura district, about 50 miles northwest of Tripura's state capital Agartala. The birds died between August 1 and 3. Tripura's Animal Resources Department has collected samples and sent these to High Security Animal Disease Laboratory (HSADL) in Bhopal for testing and is awaiting the results. ¶6. (U) Contacts in Agartala believe that the birds "may have died due to some other infection." The Tripura government, meanwhile, is keeping 71 Rapid Response Team on standby. The Indian Border Security Force has stepped up vigilance along the India-Bangladesh border to prevent smuggling of poultry and poultry products into India. Decontamination measures such as spraying vehicles with sodium hypochlorite solution are taking place at border check-posts. The Tripura Chamber of Commerce KOLKATA 00000234 002.2 OF 002 President told Post that Chamber members are reporting a decline in demand for poultry and that local poultry prices were falling. JARDINE