No Human Bird Flu Cases In India, All Samples Tested Negative

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Main Category: Bird Flu / Avian Flu
Also Included In: Public Health
Article Date: 23 Feb 2006 - 14:00 PDT

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Of the 94 samples tested so far for human bird flu infection, all have come back negative, say authorities in India. There is still one more to come, we will know the result on Saturday. This is a great relief for the Indian government as dozens of people have been calling in to hospitals complaining of flu like symptoms. It seems the cases are just of normal colds and human flu.

Over 700,000 birds have been culled in Maharashtra state over the last week as government agencies try to stem the spread of the H5N1 bird flu virus strain among birds. Authorities are now dealing with the clean up after such a massive undertaking - cleaning up the farms, burning feathers and bird faeces.

The town of Navapur, population 30,000, has been completely sealed off - there are checkpoints around the town, trains are being diverted so they do not stop in the town, and all schools have closed for the time-being.

Officials say anyone with a temperature who tries to leave Navapur will not be allowed to leave.

India's poultry industry is massive. As people shy away from buying chicken meat and some neighbouring countries have banned chicken imports from India, the country's poultry industry is experiencing a drastic fall in activity.

Do As I Say, Not As I Do

While government officials tell people that eating chicken and eggs is safe, if cooked properly, many people are annoyed at the Indian parliament's decision to ban chicken and eggs from the menu of its restaurants. The military, railways and the main airlines are also shunning poultry products.

Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

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