Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08KOLKATA93
2008-03-14 11:07:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Consulate Kolkata
Cable title:
WEST BENGAL UNABLE TO MEET CULLING TARGETS IN LATEST AI
how-toVZCZCXRO4972 PP RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHLH RUEHPW DE RUEHCI #0093 0741107 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 141107Z MAR 08 FM AMCONSUL KOLKATA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1923 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE RUEHGO/AMEMBASSY RANGOON 0410 RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE USD FAS WASHINGTON DC RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC RUEIDN/DNI WASHINGTON DC RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 0092 RUEHRN/USMISSION UN ROME PRIORITY 0020 RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 2351
UNCLAS KOLKATA 000093
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT PLS PASS HHS, CDC AND APHIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KFLU EAGR TBIO ECON PGOV CASC AMED SENV IN
SUBJECT: WEST BENGAL UNABLE TO MEET CULLING TARGETS IN LATEST AI
OUTBREAK
REF: KOLKATA 0084
UNCLAS KOLKATA 000093
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT PLS PASS HHS, CDC AND APHIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KFLU EAGR TBIO ECON PGOV CASC AMED SENV IN
SUBJECT: WEST BENGAL UNABLE TO MEET CULLING TARGETS IN LATEST AI
OUTBREAK
REF: KOLKATA 0084
1. SUMMARY: In West Bengal's latest H5N1 outbreak, cullers
managed to cull only half their target of 50,000 birds in one
week. Despite a ban in the affected areas, people continue to
buy and sell poultry. GOWB officials are unsure of how to
manage the situation and efforts at containing poultry movement
have been ineffective. END SUMMARY.
2. Beginning March 10, Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) from GOWB's
Animal Resources Department (ARD) began culling poultry in
Jiaganj and Raghunathganj II administrative blocks of
Murshidabad district. Forty-one villages in these two blocks
reported the presence of H5N1 virus in backyard poultry
(reftel). Although the administration set a culling target of
50,000 birds, it culled only 27,077 birds through March 13. Per
government guidelines, there is a ban on trade and movement of
poultry within a 3-mile radius of the infected areas. No
restrictions are in place in the rest of West Bengal. No
reports of poultry mortality have come from adjoining states of
Assam, Jharkhand and Bihar. No human cases have been reported.
3. GOWB officials admitted that the culling operation was
proving more difficult than anticipated, as people were either
resisting or avoiding the culling. ARD minister Anisur Rahman
told the press that people sold nearly 20,000 birds out of the
affected areas, when they heard that trade and movement of
poultry would be banned in the two Murshidabad blocks. The GOWB
does not have a mechanism to trace these birds. ARD department
officials expressed their concern about a continuing lack of
awareness among villagers about the disease and its possible
impact on human health. ARD officials are also worried that the
ensuing monsoon season rains could cause the spread of the
virus. Minister Rahman has hinted at the possibility of the
GOWB discouraging backyard poultry farming, and to bring these
operations into the organized poultry sector farming. Such
policy changes would have significant impact on rural
livelihoods and incomes and would be unlikely before the rural
elections in May.
4. Regarding reports of poultry deaths in neighboring Birbhum
district (reftel),Birbhum ARD officials continue to say that
birds that died at Metela, Jhatpara and Goondara villages had no
clinical symptoms of H5N1 infection, attributing the deaths to
tape worm found in most of the samples sent for a post mortem
examination.
5. COMMENT: The brisk sale of chickens from the AI-affected
blocks indicates a continued lack of awareness about AI risks
among the general populace. Unless greater awareness raising
efforts are made and better financial incentives are offered for
culled chicken, control and destruction of possibly AI-affected
poultry will be difficult.
JARDINE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT PLS PASS HHS, CDC AND APHIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KFLU EAGR TBIO ECON PGOV CASC AMED SENV IN
SUBJECT: WEST BENGAL UNABLE TO MEET CULLING TARGETS IN LATEST AI
OUTBREAK
REF: KOLKATA 0084
1. SUMMARY: In West Bengal's latest H5N1 outbreak, cullers
managed to cull only half their target of 50,000 birds in one
week. Despite a ban in the affected areas, people continue to
buy and sell poultry. GOWB officials are unsure of how to
manage the situation and efforts at containing poultry movement
have been ineffective. END SUMMARY.
2. Beginning March 10, Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) from GOWB's
Animal Resources Department (ARD) began culling poultry in
Jiaganj and Raghunathganj II administrative blocks of
Murshidabad district. Forty-one villages in these two blocks
reported the presence of H5N1 virus in backyard poultry
(reftel). Although the administration set a culling target of
50,000 birds, it culled only 27,077 birds through March 13. Per
government guidelines, there is a ban on trade and movement of
poultry within a 3-mile radius of the infected areas. No
restrictions are in place in the rest of West Bengal. No
reports of poultry mortality have come from adjoining states of
Assam, Jharkhand and Bihar. No human cases have been reported.
3. GOWB officials admitted that the culling operation was
proving more difficult than anticipated, as people were either
resisting or avoiding the culling. ARD minister Anisur Rahman
told the press that people sold nearly 20,000 birds out of the
affected areas, when they heard that trade and movement of
poultry would be banned in the two Murshidabad blocks. The GOWB
does not have a mechanism to trace these birds. ARD department
officials expressed their concern about a continuing lack of
awareness among villagers about the disease and its possible
impact on human health. ARD officials are also worried that the
ensuing monsoon season rains could cause the spread of the
virus. Minister Rahman has hinted at the possibility of the
GOWB discouraging backyard poultry farming, and to bring these
operations into the organized poultry sector farming. Such
policy changes would have significant impact on rural
livelihoods and incomes and would be unlikely before the rural
elections in May.
4. Regarding reports of poultry deaths in neighboring Birbhum
district (reftel),Birbhum ARD officials continue to say that
birds that died at Metela, Jhatpara and Goondara villages had no
clinical symptoms of H5N1 infection, attributing the deaths to
tape worm found in most of the samples sent for a post mortem
examination.
5. COMMENT: The brisk sale of chickens from the AI-affected
blocks indicates a continued lack of awareness about AI risks
among the general populace. Unless greater awareness raising
efforts are made and better financial incentives are offered for
culled chicken, control and destruction of possibly AI-affected
poultry will be difficult.
JARDINE