The out break of the deadly bird flu has been confirmed in some districts of West Bengal. It is a matter of great worry that it is the third outbreak in two years in India. It was Maharashtra in February 2006 and Manipur in July 2007. The samples from the poultry have confirmed the presence of H5N1 virus. The unusual mortality or sickness of the poultry needs to be tackled with immense care and precaution, lest any human lives be lost. It requires immediate necessary action and precautionary measures besides restricted trade and movement of the birds. The personnel need to be equipped with equipments like masks and gloves and other protective equipment.
There is a need to go deeply into the reasons for these frequent outbreaks. One possible cause is insensitivity of the local governments. Now it is suspected that many people might not have feasted on the infected birds and thus the problem would be much more difficult to handle. Loss of precious human life should be top priority for the government besides the cullers who come directly in contact with the carcasses. It is perhaps the biggest challenges in recent times!
