By IANS
New Delhi : Indian authorities want samples of the bird flu strain in Bangladesh to see if the “real root of the current outbreak” of avian influenza in West Bengal lies in that country.
“We have written to the external affairs ministry to request them to get samples of bird flu strains from Bangladesh. We will examine them and try to reach the root of the current outbreak in West Bengal,” Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said after a meeting in the capital to review the bird flu situation in West Bengal.
West Bengal shares a part of its border with Bangladesh, which too has been affected by bird flu.
“We need to know from where it has come,” he said.
Health Secretary Naresh Dayal said the virus detected in West Bengal was somewhat similar to those found in Maharashtra in 2006, but not like those found from Manipur.
“We want to trace its origin,” Dayal too said, adding that migratory birds could not be wished away as the source of the outbreak in West Bengal.
Officials said the external affairs ministry was also requested to urge Bangladesh to direct its security men on the border with India to keep a vigil on the movement of poultry birds.
Animal Husbandry Secretary Pardeep Kumar said India’s Border Security Force (BSF) has been asked to stop any poultry movement across the frontier.
An outbreak of bird flu in two district of West Bengal was confirmed Jan 15. Since then, 42 blocks and four municipalities in 13 districts have been affected by avian influenza.
The 13 affected districts in West Bengal are Birbhum, South Dinajpur, Murshidabad, Nadia, Burdwan, Bankura, Malda, Hooghly, Cooch Behar, Purulia and Howrah, South 24-Parganas and West Midnapore.
Meanwhile, four countries Nepal, Bhutan, Oman and Qatar have stopped importing poultry from India. Several states including Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa and Tamil Nadu too have stopped importing chickens from West Bengal.