One week delay in informing the Centre about unusual poultry deaths could have worsened the bird flu situation in West Bengal. After occurring first in Birbhum district, the disease is suspected to have spread to at least three villages in Khargaon block in adjoining Murshidabad district.

Murshidabad samples have been sent to the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory in Bhopal on Tuesday for confirmation, which is yet to come.

Officials from the Centre claim that though the mortality was reported on January 4, they were informed by the state administration only on January 11 — exactly a week later.

As per the rules, states are  required to inform the Centre within 24 hours of any unusual poultry death, said Union animal husbandry secretary Dr Pradeep Kumar.

Because of the risks associated with the disease and the international attention, it is a standard practice to report all suspected occurrence of the disease to appropriate authority within the shortest possible time so that the samples can be diagnosed quickly and the counter system can be put in place.  “We received the first communication from West Bengal on January 11 informing us that the mortality was reported first on January 4,” Dr Kumar said. He parried queries on if it was a sloppiness shown by the state administration.

Officials are also sceptical about Bengal’s claim on “effectively sealing” the border with Bangladesh to prevent movement of virus-carrying chickens from across the border. Bangladesh has a large reservoir of the avian influenza virus possibly because of ineffective culling operations.

Though the source of the outbreak is not known, Union animal husbandry commissioner Dr S K Bandopadhaya will visit ground zero in Birbhum and South Dinajpur districts to have a first hand experience.

After a review by Cabinet Secretary K M Chandrasekhar on Tuesday, the Centre has dispatched 5000 personal protective equipment to the state for culling operations. Five thousands addition equipment has been sent on Wednesday.

The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has proposed a surveillance mechanism involving India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar for quick detection of the virus in the region.