RANCHI: After the spread of bird flu (H5N1) in a poultry farm at the Veterinary College of Birsa Agricultural University in Ranchi, the state health department has issued an alert directing the officials to take necessary precautions.
The alert was issued to the civil surgeons of all the districts by the Mission Director of the National Health Mission (NHM), Abu Imran on Wednesday.
Following the directive, Rapid Response Teams have been formed in all the districts due to the bird flu threat.
These teams have been instructed to provide medicines and necessary treatment to the high-risk group if the infection is confirmed among humans.
The disease can spread to humans after coming in contact with infected birds, chickens or guinea fowl.
According to officials, as of now continuous monitoring of birds and humans is being done in a 10 km radius of the affected area and high-risk patients have been asked to be isolated and monitored for 10 days.
If anyone shows symptoms of bird flu, their clinical samples will be taken and tested, they said.
More than 150 chicken and 12 quails have died in the BAU poultry farm. After the sudden death of the birds, their samples were sent to the ICAR-NISHAD lab in Bhopal for testing, where H5N1 infection was confirmed.
If symptoms of bird flu are found in humans too, their clinical samples will be tested in the Microbiology Department of Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS0 in Ranchi.
“Infected people will be quarantined at home. Quarantine guidelines in rural areas will be decided as per the Health Department,” said the officials.
Meanwhile, all districts have been instructed to keep antiviral medicines (Tamiflu), PPE kits, masks and VTM kits ready.
Dedicated isolation ward - Separate isolation wards and beds have been asked to be arranged for potential bird flu patients.