Bird flu death alarms medical fraternity, but human transmission rare

Rs 90,000 cr poultry industry in a fix as curbs on sale or production of eggs and chicken could devastate its revenues

The death of an 11-year-old boy due to bird-flu has set alarm bells ringing among the medical fraternity as well as the Rs 90,000-crore poultry industry, which was seeing some uptick in demand after months of low sale last year.
 
An estimated 60 million people are directly dependent on the poultry sector in India, and insiders are worried that the death might cause a drop in demand. 
 
“We have not received any information from any of the poultry farms across the country — or even backyard poultry — regarding any sudden death of birds. If the disease strikes,