As a  precautionary measure, an isolation ward has been opened in the bird flu hit Rampurhat district hospital to treat any possible cases of infection of the virus in human. But there is no immediate report whether the district authorities have the special outfits needed for personnel to undertake the culling operation to prevent contraction of the disease by them, as the operation would take at least two days to complete.

Bangladesh reported the incidence of bird flu last year; this was the first time though it has broken out in West Bengal.  There was an outbreak of Ranikhet disease among poultry in Darjeeling district a couple of years back that triggered panic, but caused little harm.

The government issued directives to the district administration for disinfecting a radius between three and 10 kms around the affected areas in Birbhum and South Dinajpur districts and asked both animal husbandry and forest officials to keep a vigil on ducks and ornamental birds in the region. According to Rahaman, the Birbhum district administration dispatched 50 special teams to help people dispose of dead chickens in Rampurhat sub-division and an emergency meeting of all the Block Development Officers (BDO) of Rampurhat Sub-division was held to discuss the issue.

Outbreak confirmed

The avians, he said , had died in private poultries and in one state-run poultry in the two districts and the state government announced compensation at the rate of Rs 40 per chicken and Rs 10 per chick to poultry farmers. The Centre has also confirmed the outbreak.