CONFIRMED AVIAN INFLUENZA OUTBREAK IN ASSAM

UNCLAS KOLKATA 000328 SIPDIS USDA FOR DEPUTY UNDER SECRETARY/ETERPSTRA USDA FOR OFSO/JDEYER USDA FOR FAS/OA/MYOST/WKMILLER USDA FOR FAS/OCRA/CALEXANDER/JCARVER USDA FOR FAS/OSTA/CHAMILTON USDA FOR APHIS/MFLEMINGS/TBURLESON SEOUL FOR APHIS/GEORGE ANDY BALL DEPARTMENT FOR SA/PB, EB/TPP, AIAG HREED-ROWE TAGS: KFLU EAGR SENV CASC PGOV IN SUBJECT: CONFIRMED AVIAN INFLUENZA OUTBREAK IN ASSAM REF: KOLKATA 298 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY: On November 27 the Government of India (GOI) Ministry of Agriculture confirmed an outbreak of avian influenza (H5N1) found in birds, primarily poultry, in the state of Assam. No human cases have been reported. The state government has imposed restrictions on poultry movement and begun culling operations in 40 villages. ¶2. (U) On November 27, Bhopal's High Security Animal Diseases Laboratory confirmed the existence of the H5N1 virus in poultry in the Northeastern state of Assam. The Agriculture Ministry reported the outbreak in Rajabazar, a village located on the western bank of the Brahmaputra River about 30 miles northwest of the state capital Guwahati. On November 28, the GOI notified the World Organization of Animal Health about the outbreak. The Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup (Rural) district, who is in charge of district culling operations, told EconFSN that confirmed H5N1 samples had also been found in three more villages surrounding the Guwahati Airport. According to him, 350 birds/poultry have died since November 21. ¶3. (U) The Assam government's Animal Husbandry Department, with a monitoring group of three central government officials, culled poultry from 20 villages within a two-mile radius of Rajabazar. By December 1, twenty-seven Rapid Response Teams, each composed ofQetween five to seven personnel, had together culled more than 45,000 birds; and destroyed their eggs, feed and litter. The second phase of culling in twenty-three villages will begin on December 4. According to the Kamrup Deputy Commissioner, the district has adequate supplies of Tamiflu, but lacks training in culling and decontamination techniques. Despite the restrictions on poultry movement, press contacts in Guwahati confirmed that poultry continue to be available on the market. Comment ¶4. (SBU) This is the first confirmed outbreak of the H5N1 virus in India since May 16, 2008. Culling and containing the outbreak in Assam is difficult due to the informal and non-industrial nature of poultry cultivation and the state government's lacking of training in culling and decontamination techniques. Poloff is traveling to Assam from December 10 - 13 and will follow up on the state's efforts to address the outbreak. PAYNE