Senior officials from the Department of Animal Husbandry informed the media today that the process of culling and containing the Avian Flu is under way in Maharashtra and Gujarat.  They clarified the following issues related to Bird Flu.

(1)        Culling operations continued in Gujarat:  It is expected that the poultry on the farms will be totally culled by today evening.  The area, where the backyard poultry exists, has been surveyed by the Department.  The owners have been contacted and the poultry will be culled tomorrow.

(2)        Culling operations continued in Maharashtra: 60 teams were deployed for culling operations.

(3)        Disposal of dead birds, clean-up and disinfection are being done simultaneously.

(4)        The Telephone/Fax No. of the Control Room of the Animal Husbandry Department, Government of  India will change from 011-2338 7804 to 011-2338 4190.

(5)        The control operations were reviewed by the Chief Minister of Maharashtra at Nandurbar along with the senior officers of the State Government.

(6)        Review of the control is being conducted at the highest level in Gujarat.

(7)        The weekly report for the period 13.02.2006 upto 18.02.2006 has been received from HSADL, Bhopal.  A total of 279 samples have been tested during the week received from various states.  Samples from Navapur, Maharashtra have tested positive.  Other samples are negative for Avian Influenza virus.  These include 111samples from West Bengal.

(8)        Concern has been expressed by certain quarters on the credibility of the tests conducted at HSADL, Bhopal with regard to the samples from Navapur, Nandurbar District, Maharashtra.  It is informed that a series of tests have been conducted at Bhopal on the samples received from Navapur.  These include HA HI tests, RT-PCR, Real Time PCR for H type and NI tests for N type.  The official response on the issue will be given by the Director General, ICMR and the Animal Husbandry Commissioner.

UM/PKM/Hb