Health and Family Welfare Minister U.T. Khader said that directions have been issued to take precautionary steps to prevent the spread of Avian flu in the State.
Primary Health Centres near the Kerala border have been instructed to deal with any case of persons suspected to have Avian flu.
The directions come in the light of an outbreak of Avian flu in Allappuzha, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts in Kerala.
Talking to reporters here on Wednesday after reviewing Dakshina Kannada’s preparedness, Mr. Khader said so far there have not been any case of Avian flu reported in the State.
Mr. Khader said that people should not ignore any fever and other symptoms of flu. They should visit the nearest primary health centre and get treatment. The doctors at the centres have been directed to take throat swab samples of suspected persons and send the same for confirmation to the nearest virology lab.
At an hour-long meeting in Mangaluru, Mr. Khader directed local officials from the Animal Husbandry Department to intensify their checks on birds transported from Kerala by road and rail.
Those suspected to have the flu should be seized and culled before being buried deep. Officials have also been asked to keep in touch with their counterparts in Kerala.
Mr. Khader instructed officials to direct poultry farm owners to provide gloves and masks for their workers. Pamphlets about precautions need to be circulated among people and those found positive for Avian flu should be treated at the Isolation ward in the District Wenlock Hospital, he added.
