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Viewing cable 08KOLKATA30, WEST BENGAL AI SITREP - 10: JANUARY 25: AI CONTINUES RAPID

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08KOLKATA30 2008-01-25 15:50 2011-08-26 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Consulate Kolkata
VZCZCXRO1353
OO RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHLH RUEHPW
DE RUEHCI #0030/01 0251550
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 251550Z JAN 08
FM AMCONSUL KOLKATA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1848
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE USD FAS WASHINGTON DC
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEIDN/DNI WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEFHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHC/DEPT OF INTERIOR WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RUEHGO/AMEMBASSY RANGOON PRIORITY 0381
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 2259
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KOLKATA 000030 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT PLEASE PASS HHS AND CDC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KFLU EAGR TBIO CASC AMED ASEC SENV IN
SUBJECT: WEST BENGAL AI SITREP - 10:  JANUARY 25:  AI CONTINUES RAPID 
SPREAD WITH CASES CONFIRMED IN TWO NEW DISTRICTS 
 
REF: A) KOLKATA 0028   B)  KOLKATA 0027    C)  KOLKATA 0025 AND PREVIOUS 
 
KOLKATA 00000030  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
1.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  On January 25 the presence of the Avian 
Influenza (AI) virus in poultry was confirmed in two more 
districts in W. Bengal -- Howrah and Purulia.  This makes 11 
districts now affected by AI out of a total of 18 in the state. 
In the evening of January 24, GOWB Chief Minister Buddhadeb 
Bhattacharya called an emergency meeting to assess the bird flu 
situation in the state and asked for an effective strategy to 
prevent the entry of poultry into Kolkata from the affected 
districts.  The Minister for Animal Resources Department (ARD), 
however, said that preventing smuggling would be difficult and 
that the virus could enter the city within a couple of days. 
Through January 24, according to the GOWB, approximately 800,000 
birds had been culled in eight out of the 11 affected districts 
by 583 Rapid Response Teams (RRTs).  Culling operations could 
not be carried out in Malda district on January 24, reportedly 
due to inadequate protective gear for the cullers.  Reports of 
significant numbers of poultry deaths have come in from another 
district - Jalpaiguri in northern W. Bengal.  So far, no/no 
suspected human AI cases have been detected, and health workers 
are conducting house-to-house surveillance in the virus-hit 
districts.  Detailed GOWB statistics are available at two GOWB 
websites listed in paragraph 7.  Consulate Kolkata also held a 
town hall meeting on AI for AmCits and staff.  The presence of 
AI in two more districts is futher indication of the virus' 
rapid spread in West Bengal and of the state authorities' 
inability to control this AI outbreak.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (U) On January 25 the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory 
in Bhopal confirmed the  presence of the H5N1 virus in samples 
sent from two new districts in W. Bengal - Howrah and Purulia. 
Howrah district is adjacent to Kolkata across the Hooghly River 
and includes Kolkata's sister city of Howrah.  Howrah city is 
West Bengal's second largest urban center with a population of 
over one million people.  The presence of AI in Howrah district 
is a disturbing indication that AI continues to move closer to 
the Kolkata-Howrah urban conurbation, which has a population of 
almost 20 million people.  Purulia is a rural western district 
bordering the state of Jharkhand.  On January 24, GOWB Chief 
Minister Bhattacharjee held an emergency meeting in Kolkata to 
assess the AI outbreak.  He called for an action plan to prevent 
poultry from AI-affected districts being smuggled into Kolkata. 
ARD Minister Anisur Rehman said it would be a difficult task to 
prevent smuggling of poultry into the city from the neighboring 
flu affected districts, but that his department had sealed the 
entry points into the city and it was now up to the Kolkata 
Municipal Corporation to ensure that no virus affected bird 
appeared in the city's markets.  CM Bhattacharjee directed GOWB 
Home Secretary P.R. Ray to implement the strategy. 
 
3. (U) By the end of January 24, state ARD reported that 
approximately 800,000 birds were culled by 583 RRTs across eight 
of the now 11 flu-affected districts.  In Birbhum district, on 
January 24, for the first time the daily culling total crossed 
the 100,000 mark as ARD teams culled 125,000 birds in Margram 
and Rampurhat areas.  ARD officials attributed the increased 
efficiency in their operations to a change in strategy - instead 
of starting early in the morning, they are now starting late - 
around 1200 noon.  The teams are continuing with culling 
operations after sundown and are finding more poultry back in 
their pens during those hours.  Cold weather, accompanied by 
rain, has affected culling operations, but not significantly. 
News reports stated that culling operations could not commence 
in Malda district due to insufficient availability of protective 
gear for culling teams.  Reports of resistance to culling from 
poultry owners continue to trickle in from some districts.  The 
Hindustan Times wrote that culling teams faced stiff opposition 
in Bolpur-Sriniketan (Birbhum district) on the first day of 
culling in that area.  In the same district, in Kanachi village, 
teams turned back without culling any birds because of local 
resistance from villagers.  (Comment:  In some cases, villagers 
have been unwilling to hand over poultry due to disatisfaction 
with the level of compensation and the general lack of awareness 
about the risks of AI.  End Comment.) 
 
4. (U) The Jalpaiguri district in North Bengal, bordering Cooch 
Behar, may soon be an AI-affected site.  250 birds have 
reportedly died since the night of January 23 in Magurmari, 
Sakuwajhora and Baharagaria villages in the Dhuburi block in 
 
KOLKATA 00000030  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
Jalpaiguri.  An ARD department official told Post that on 
January 24 some areas around Jalpaiguri town had been scheduled 
for culling after they reported unusual poultry mortality. 
(Comment:  The pre-emptive culling indicates that the 
authorities suspect the posibility of H5N1, although not 
confirmed by test results.  End Comment.) 
 
5. (U) According to available statistics from the GOWB, through 
January 23 medical teams have surveyed 590,000 people in the 
affected districts.  A total of 2,446 cases of fever have been 
detected, none of which demonstrated clinical symptoms of AI. 
Fifteen human samples collected ( South Dinajpur - five, 
Murshidabad - two and Birbhum - eight) through January 23 and 
sent for testing have all returned negative.  GOWB Director of 
Health Services Dr. Sanchita Bakshi informed Post that 3979 
cullers have been examined and 24 had fevers.  The test results 
that have been received so far are all negative for AI, and an 
additional eight human samples were sent for testing to NIV Pune 
on January 24.  She confirmed that all cullers and health 
workers are taking chemoprophylaxis.  Dr. Bakshi said that fever 
and colds are common at this time of the year and she expects 
that all the samples sent for testing to come back be negative 
for AI.  Dr. Bakshi maintained that, "the situation is under 
control," and again confirmed no suspected case of human AI has 
been detected so far. 
 
6. (U) A press release issued by the state Health Department on 
January 24 stated that isolation observation wards have been set 
up in each affected district.  Fourteen ventilators have been 
installed at those facilities along with other necessary 
equipment.   The Department has also directed the district 
health authorities in unaffected districts to identify health 
facilities where isolation wards could be opened, and if 
necessary, to equip them with essential amenities.  (Comment: 
Medical facilities in the state's rural areas are generally very 
poor and so isolations wards will likely be inadequate if human 
AI cases do occur.  End Comment.)  The Infectious Disease 
hospital, where the NICED lab is located, in Kolkata has been 
identified as the state's hub hospital. 
 
7. (U) Information material, guidelines, forms and protocols and 
important documents related to Avian Influenza have been made 
available to the general public by the state government at the 
website www.wbhealth.gov.in.  Daily press releases on the bird 
flu situation are available at HYPERLINK "http://www.wbgov.com" 
www.wbgov.com. 
 
8.  (U) On January 25, Consulate Kolkata held a town hall 
meeting at the American Center to inform staff and as an 
additional outreach to AmCits about the AI outbreak.  ConGen, 
MinCouns for Consular Affairs - Embassy New Delhi, and Embassy 
Regional Medical Officer provided AmCits and Consulate staff and 
family members with an overview of the AI situation in W. Bengal 
and answered questions related to precautionary and protective 
measures. 
 
9.  (SBU) Comment:  The confirmation of two new districts 
affected by AI in W. Bengal indicates that AI continues to 
spread throughout the state and culling efforts have not been 
sufficient.  The presence of AI in Howrah means that the disease 
is now close to the state's major urban center.  The large 
population of the Howrah-Kolkata metropolitan region, 
potentially increases exponentially human exposure to the 
disease if it manifests in the numerous urban markets and 
poultry shops. 
JARDINE