India alert after Pak bird flu reports

With the World Health Organisation issuing a warning against bird flu, India has stepped up efforts to check any outbreak in the country.

With the World Health Organisation (WHO) issuing a warning against bird flu, India has stepped up efforts to check any outbreak in the country.

A senior official in the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) said surveillance has been increased and tests are being conducted at the India-Pakistan border. “Meetings are on to decide the further course of action,” he said, adding that there is no reason for India to worry.

India has been on alert after Pakistan reported new infections recently and Myanmar had its first human case.

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WHO experts have reached Pakistan to help investigate the causes behind the outbreak and to collect samples for laboratory tests. Four brothers and two cousins fell ill last month in Abbotabad, a city north of Islamabad, while three others who slaughtered poultry in the same area tested positive for the H5N1 bird flu virus earlier this month.

Two of the brothers died. Specimens were collected only from one of the brothers.

Initial tests conducted by the government said the cases tested positive for H5N1 virus. However, the WHO will conduct further analysis to confirm the results.

With fresh outbreaks in poultry reported from a number of countries, including Germany over the weekend, the WHO has urged nations to be vigilant in identifying and reporting cases in both birds and humans. According to the WHO, eight cases were reported from Pakistan.