 "Centre, states gear up to tackle infectious zoonotic disease outbreaks")
The Central government has issued an advisory to states as well as Union Territories (UTs) asking them to take steps to detect and prevent spread of H5N1 virus (bird flu) or avian influenza.
Advisory, issued on Friday, asks the states and UTs to watch out for any unusual deaths among birds or poultry, after four states reported cases of the avian disease.
The cases were reported from Andhra Pradesh (Nellore district), Maharashtra (Nagpur district), Jharkhand (Ranchi district) and Kerala (Alappuzha, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts).
“Given that avian influenza is highly pathogenic and has the potential to be transmitted to humans, it is imperative to take necessary steps to minimise and prevent the spread of this infection,” Director General of Health Services (DGHS) Atul Goel and Animal Husbandry Commissioner Abhijit Mitra said in their advisory to state and UT administrations.
The advisory asks all states and UTs to train all healthcare workers and private practitioners on case definitions, signs and symptoms of avian influenza.
The Centre has also asked states to strengthen biosecurity measures in all poultry establishments, zoos, poultry markets and be prepared with preventive measures, including adequate stockpiling of antiviral drug Oseltamivir, personal protective equipment and isolation wards and beds.
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“States are also advised to enhance surveillance in wet markets, abattoirs, among poultry farm workers and maintain regular monitoring for severe acute respiratory illness (SARI),” the advisory said.
ALSO READ: Centre issues advisory after 4 states report outbreaks of bird flu
ALSO READ: Centre issues advisory after 4 states report outbreaks of bird flu
It also asks states that have reported outbreaks to conduct surveillance for suspected human cases and provide health check-ups for cullers and poultry farm workers within ten days.
The DGHS said that since March this year, concerns have been expressed over avian influenza outbreaks in cattle in many US states, where one reported human case of H5N1 virus has also surfaced.
Kerala government intensifies prevention measures for Nipah virus
The Kerala government has also started preparing a special action calendar for the entire year, to prevent future outbreaks of the Nipah virus. The state has faced Nipah outbreaks in several of its districts in the last five years.
“The calendar is being prepared by including activities for the entire year, especially from May to September, the period when Nipah is likely to spread,” Kerala health minister Veena George said.
In a high-level meeting on preventing Nipah outbreaks, the Kerala government decided to conduct mock drills to assess preparedness during emergencies, with special attention to be paid to the northern districts of Kozhikode and Wayanad.
The state government will pay special attention to patients who come to hospitals with fever, headache, unexplained shortness of breath and encephalitis.
Health officials have been asked to carry out vigorous Nipah prevention activities in these districts on a campaign basis until the month of September. Officials will also work to intensify awareness drives in these districts through health centres, cautioning people against destroying the natural habitat of bats.
Zoonotic diseases are infections that spread between people and animals. These infections are caused by germs, such as viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi.
While bird flu spreads from migratory birds and is known to cause outbreaks among domesticated poultry, Nipah virus spreads mainly through fruit bats. These viruses can easily be transmitted to humans.