Avian influenza has been well-contained in the State and as such there is no risk of human transmission of the disease anywhere in the State, the Central team of experts have informed Chief Minister. Oommen Chandy.
The team, including the Additional Director of National Centre for Disease Control, C. S. Agarwal; the Chief Medical Officer of Ram Manohar Lohya Hospital, New Delhi, Desh Deepak; and the Joint Director of Central Research Institute, Kasauli, Navin Gupta, expressed total satisfaction in the manner in which the Health, Animal Husbandry and other allied departments had coordinated, to take up bird flu containment activities in the affected areas.
Well-plannedWell-planned measures had ensured that bird flu did not spread far and that no human cases were reported in the State.
Though there was much apprehensions among the local people that the contamination of water bodies because of dead birds posed a serious risk to human health, the Central team assured the Health Minister and the Chief Minister that bathing in the backwaters or using the water for washing purposes would not put people at risk as the H5N1 virus was one that spread through the respiratory route.
All people handling birds and animals in the bird flu-affected regions should maintain extreme hygiene and ensure that they frequently washed their hands with soap.
Sanitation activitiesIt has also been suggested that disinfection and sanitation activities be carried out diligently in all the affected areas for a period of 30 days from the last culling session.
The Central team has also suggested that the State adopt long-term measures, in collaboration with the Animal Husbandry and other departments on how animal disease surveillance can be improved .
Tthese serve as an early warning for any threat to human health, it said.
Health Secretary K. Ellangovan and other senior Health officials were present at the discussions.
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