Avian influenza (bird flu) has spread to infect birds in half of Bangladesh’s 64 districts, say Bangladeshi officials. The two latest outbreaks took place in Gopalganj and Sylhet, according to the Ministry of Health. Some dead crows which were later found to be infected with the H5N1 bird flu virus strain had been found in the port of Chittagong.
Despite frantic government efforts to halt the spread of bird flu infection, lack of awareness and extreme poverty among the farming and domestic poultry-owning community is going to make endeavours exceedingly difficult to see through.
Warnings have been sent to farmers and owners of backyard poultry nationwide. However, resistance due to ignorance and hunger means it is very hard for authorities to get to infected birds and effectively burn or buy them.
Approximately 200,000 people, all of them volunteers, are going door-to-door telling householders to report sick/dead poultry and wild birds. These volunteers are also explaining to householders that touching a sick bird, or eating it, significantly raises the risk of becoming infected.
About 4 million Bangladeshis are involved in some way in poultry farming.
About Bangladesh
Population – 150 million (11th most densely populated country in the world)
Language – Bengali (Bangla)
GDP per capita (Income Per Capita) – $2,270 (144th in the world)
Capital – Dacca
Location – Bordered by India on all sides, plus a small border with Myanmar
Literacy – Males 50%, Females 31%
Written by – Christian Nordqvist