Flu alert sounded in CCpur
200 fowls reported dead in past 2 months
Source: The Sangai Express

Lamka, July 26: On the day culling of birds were ordered in Imphal East and West, the district officials here were placed on high alert as it was confirmed that more than two hundred indigenous fowls at a tiny hamlet, about 9 kms from here, had expired in the past two months.

On learning that dozens and dozens of indigenous fowls died from unknown disease at Saikul village, about a two kilometre trekking distance from Tedim Road, district veterinary officials headed by its Joint Director S Joute immediately rushed to the village and conducted a house to house inspection.

Sample collected from a fowl at CCpur

The village is inhabited by about twenty nine families.

Blood, mucus and faeces/stool samples, both from the sick and healthy fowls were collected by the visiting officials for further investigation.

Villagers of Saikul, told the visiting media team that their chickens were claimed by a mysterious disease since the early part of last month.

More than two hundred fowls out of which nearly fifty of a single household expired in quick succession.

But none of villagers pointed to any form of similar infection on the ducks.

Inspecting a sick local fowl belonging to one Vumzatuan, the visiting Veterinary officials doubted it would be that it was due to avian flu.

"We didn't find any bird flu symptoms in this fowl, it may probably be that of Ranikhet disease," S Joute said after minutely inspecting the ailing bird.

The ailing bird was one from about thirty fowls reared by Vumzatuan and his wife.

Officials contemplated the infection might be unrelated to avian influenza with the assumption gaining more strength as villagers recounted assumption gaining more strength as villagers recounted that some of their fowls recovered after being found to be sick.

Another resident, Nekzachin even fed and showed to the media team the bird which he claimed recovered last week after suffering for more than a week.

Moreover, the last known deaths of the fowls occurred sometime last week.

According to Jamkithang, the village chief, their fowls expired since the beginning of June and the carcasses were either thrown to a secluded place or buried.

Attempts to locate the carcasses of those disposed proved futile as it may have already been devoured by dogs or wild animals.

Taking no chances, the district administration has drawn an emergency plan to counter any eventuality, in case the disease turn out to be deadly.

All security outposts in the outskirts of the district have been ordered to monitor movement of birds in and outside the district.

The Veterinary Dept.

has issued atleast two mobile phone numbers 9436279268 and 9856362864, belonging to Vet Officers for informing them of any suspicious cases of the dreaded avian flu.