BHUBANESWAR: Samples collected from a suspected human case of bird flu in Puri district has turned out to be negative for H5N1, the Health department said on Wednesday.
Amid rumours of a person from Pipili area infected by bird flu after detection of the virus in poultry farms, the Health department issued a statement saying no confirmed case of avian influenza in human beings has been detected from Odisha.
Sources said the person was down with influenza-like illness (ILI) symptoms. “Though bird-to-human transmission is rare, it can happen in case of persons who are in contact with live birds. Since the person was involved in culling of birds, we had sent his swab samples to RMRC for a test and it came out negative. He has been provided with a treatment dose of Oseltamivir,” said a senior health official.
The state government had ordered house-to-house visits on a daily basis for active search of any suspected case of ILI and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) after bird samples were found to be positive for H5N1 in Pipili and Satyabadi areas. An isolation ward has been opened at Mangalpur community health centre for quarantine of suspected persons.
Health and Family Welfare minister Mukesh Mahaling said micro and ground-level action plans for containing bird flu in the state has been rolled out in full swing. After reports of its outbreak in the two blocks with epicentre at Raichakradharpur and Abalpur, culling of birds is on, he said.
“Daily health check-ups of cullers, firm owners and their family members are being done for any symptoms of influenza. The government is vigilant and is working in close coordination with the Animal Husbandry department. So far, over 30,000 birds have been culled as part of the containment measures,” he said.
Meanwhile, Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Minister Gokulananda Mallik said all the poultry farmers affected by bird flu in Odisha will get compensation. “The department is planning to provide compensation of Rs 20 for one small chicken and Rs 70 for larger ones,” he said.