VZCZCXRO4914
OO RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHLH RUEHPW
DE RUEHCI #0019 0171253
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 171253Z JAN 08
FM AMCONSUL KOLKATA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1830
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE USD FAS WASHINGTON DC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 0071
RUEHGO/AMEMBASSY RANGOON PRIORITY 0378
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 2240

UNCLAS KOLKATA 000019 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT PLS PASS HHS - STEIGER AND HICKEY, PLS PASS CDC - NCOX, SBLOUNT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KFLU TBIO EAGR SENV PGOV CASC IN
SUBJECT: AI IN W. BENGAL MAY BE SPREADING: SITREP 4 - JANUARY 17 
 
REF: KOLKATA 11, KOLKATA 14, KOLKATA 17 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: As of 1500 hours local time on January 17, 
reports of poultry deaths have come in from additional districts 
close to ground-zero (Margram) and in districts closer to 
Kolkata. Some poultry deaths have also been reported in 
neighboring Jharkhand state. The media, quoting GOI officials, 
blamed the Government of West Bengal (GOWB) for the slow 
response to the H5N1 outbreak. The first day of culling on 
January 16 was marked by villagers' refusal to permit culling, 
and difficulties in logistics and coordination, which lead to a 
low number of culled birds. Poultry owners reported a drastic 
reduction in sales in Kolkata and other parts of West Bengal. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (U) By 1500 hours on January 17, reports of poultry deaths 
began coming in from new areas, indicating that the H5N1 virus 
may have spread. New villages reporting unusual poultry deaths 
are Muraroi I, Muraroi II, and Rampurhat (Birbhum district), and 
four sectors of Khargram (Murshidabad district). These locations 
are contiguous to Margram (Birbhum district), where the outbreak 
was first reported. GOWB officials have collected samples and 
begun culling birds in these areas. 
 
¶3. (U) Areas not adjacent to Margram may now be affected as 
well. Poultry deaths were reported in Baruipur (South 24 
Parganas district), Karimpur (Nadia district), Kalna and Katoa 
(Bardhaman district) and Goghat (Hugli district). These 
districts are located south of Margram, closer to Kolkata. 
Baruipur is approximately 15 miles south of the Kolkata city 
center. GOWB officials have collected samples for testing, but 
have not/not begun culling birds in these areas. 
 
¶4. (U) Pakaur town, which is north of Margram in the neighboring 
state of Jharkhand, has also reported unusual poultry deaths. 
GOWB officials told Post that the Jharkand Animal Resources 
Department (ARD) has taken samples from these birds for testing. 
 
¶5. (U) The media, quoting senior GOI officials, is harshly 
critical of GOWB authorities, claiming that the GOWB delay in 
reporting the unusual bird deaths permitted the virus to spread 
from Margram. The reports claim that the GOWB received news of 
unusual poultry deaths as early as January 4, but only reported 
the incidents to the federal government on January 11. Photos in 
the media show officials in protective gear holding dead birds 
as villagers cluster around, as well as children playing near 
dead birds. 
 
¶6. (SBU). The handling of dead and possibly infected birds by 
villagers is a cause of concern and may start bird to human 
infection. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare officials have 
stated to the CDC AI coordinator at Post that, "we are nervous 
and watching the situation very closely." 
 
¶7. (U) West Bengal's Minister for Animal Resources Department 
(ARD) Anisur Rahman has admitted there was a delay in reporting 
the incidents, but that it was not deliberate. Apparently, the 
ARD dismissed the early reports of bird deaths as Ranikhet 
disease, citing the recent GOI certification of India as free of 
the H5N1 virus. 
 
¶8. (U) Culling efforts are now concentrated on 102 villages in 
and around Margram. Rahman told Post that his team only culled 
9,000 birds on January 16, although they had targeted 100,000. 
He cited a lack of coordination among different government 
agencies and villagers' reluctance to allow culling as the 
reason. Rahman expects culling figures to go up significantly in 
the next few days. The GOI Animal Resources Department is 
complementing GOWB efforts by sending 180 workers in 36 Rapid 
Response Teams. 
 
¶9. (U) The poultry industry has reported a steep reduction in 
consumption. In Kolkata, consumption has dropped by 60 percent 
from its average daily level of 250,000 kilograms. In rural 
areas, consumption is down by as much as 80 percent. The price 
of chicken has dropped by approximately 20 percent. 
 
¶10. (U) COMMENT: Despite training and orientation workshops, the 
GOWB response to the emerging H5N1 outbreak has been inadequate. 
 Public awareness in rural W. Bengal about AI is also 
demonstrably lacking and raises concerns about the possibility 
of human infection. 
 
JARDINE