Speakers at a seminar on Monday called for educating the masses and an increased social mobilisation about the risk perceptions linked to avian influenza (AI). They observed that the disease had already made its way into the country posing a threat to poultry, farm workers, consumers of poultry products and other people. Well-coordinated initiatives are needed to be taken by the government agencies concerned, they stressed while calling for a careful dissemination of preventive health education vis-
The risk of Avian Influenza (Bird Flu or N5N1) which is a highly contagious viral disease, is being overestimated in the metropolis especially by the media. People close to the birds and pigs usually are infected with the avian influenza due to the highly concentrated poultry and pig farming in the non-Muslim countries. Avian influenza cannot be declared as pandemic on behalf of only 206 deaths world wide in duration of more than 12 years.
Reports of death of more than 200 chicken at Balijan village under Panitola PS in Tinsukia district has created a fear psychosis here. The officials of the District Animal Husbandry and Veterinary department have almost ruled out the spread of bird flu in the district and stated that there is no need for the poultry owners to panic.
First human bird flu case in Pakistan: WHO has confirmed that the limited human-to-human bird flu transmission has occurred in Pakistan. The country reported eight cases of human bird flu in
restoring lost and degraded wetlands could reduce the threat of bird flu pandemics, claims a study commissioned by the United Nations Environment Programme (unep).
The European Union has banned imports of untreated feathers from countries close to or neighbouring Turkey, where cases of avian flu have been recently reported. The countries affected by the ban are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Iraq and Syria.
The New England Journal of Medicine recently found that four patients died in spite of being treated with Tamiflu. Of the four, two had developed resistance to the drug and the other two might have been treated late. The report suggests the ideal doses may not be sufficient since inadequate or low doses of anti-viral drugs are known to promote resistance by allowing viruses to mutate and resurge. However, the World Health Organization continues to back Tamiflu as the only escape from a bird flu pandemic, claiming that the cases were no cause for alarm.
A study was undertaken with an aim to investigate community perceptions towards conservation and management of the Openbill in Pailom and Ampuvararam Temple Wildlife Non-Hunting Area located in the Samkhoke district of Pathum Thani province of Thailand.
