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Reference ID	Created	Released	Classification	Origin
09KOLKATA28	2009-02-06 05:13	2011-08-30 01:44	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY	Consulate Kolkata

VZCZCXRO4380
RR RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHLH RUEHNEH RUEHPW
DE RUEHCI #0028 0370513
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 060513Z FEB 09
FM AMCONSUL KOLKATA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2258
INFO RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 2762

UNCLAS KOLKATA 000028 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS TO NSF FOR INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS 
STATE PASS TO USAID 
HHS PASS TO OGHA (KULIKOWSKI/CUMMINGS) 
STATE FOR OES/PCI, OES/IHB AND SCA/INS 
STATE FOR STAS AND AIAG (REED-ROWE) 
HHS FOR NIH/FIC (GLASS/MAMPILLY/HANDLEY) 
HHS FOR FDA (LUMPKIN/VALDEZ) 
HHS FOR CDC (BLOUNT/COX) 
USDA FOR APHIS (FLEMING/BURLESON) 
USDA FOR FAS (RIKER/BEAN) 
NEW DELHI FOR FAS/APHIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR SENV CASC PGOV AMED KFLU IN BD
SUBJECT: NEW AVIAN INFLUENZA OUTBREAK CONFIRMED IN WEST BENGAL 
 
REF: A. A) KOLKATA 3 
     ¶B. B) 08 KOLKATA 26 
 
¶1. (U) On January 30, the Indian Ministry of Agriculture 
confirmed the presence of the H5N1 virus in West Bengal's 
Coochbehar district.  The two avian influenza (AI) epicenters 
are in the villages of Nagar Bhagni and Uttar Dangkoba, in two 
non-contiguous administrative blocks of the district.  The 
epicenters are approximately 200 km east of Darjeeling, the site 
of the latest outbreak in West Bengal (Ref A), and 15 kilometers 
from the informal India-Bangladesh border crossing point at 
Gitaldaha.  The last reported AI epicenter in Coochbehar was in 
January 2008 in the same district but at a different location 
(Ref B).  There are no reports of human infection. 
 
¶2. (SBU) According to the district magistrate, Rajesh Kumar 
Sinha, culling began in Coochbehar on February 1.  Over the 
course of three days, thirty Rapid Reaction Teams composed of 
five persons each, planned to cull 45,000 chickens and ducks 
from backyard poultry operations.  In addition to culling 
poultry within the three kilometer epicenter radius, Sinha told 
post that the local administration has restricted poultry trade 
to and from Bangladesh into the district.  He is satisfied with 
the Indian Border Security Force stepped up efforts to prevent 
birds from being transported across the borders.  Although there 
is no legitimate cross-border traffic through Gitaldaha, illegal 
poultry and cattle trade is widely acknowledged. 
 
¶3. (SBU) According to West Bengal's Principal Secretary of the 
Animal Resources Development Department the Coochbehar AI 
outbreak is an isolated incident and not linked to any of the 
other recent outbreaks in Eastern India (West Bengal, Assam and 
Sikkim) that have occurred since November 2008.  The West Bengal 
State Minister for Animal Resources Development, in a string of 
media interviews, has also emphasized the reduced scale and 
spread compared with earlier in 2008. 
 
Comment 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Like the previous outbreaks in late 2008 and early 
2009, it appears that this outbreak will be easily contained by 
West Bengal state officials.  The West Bengal state officials 
have continued to be forthcoming with information to post about 
AI outbreaks and recently expressed interested in opportunities 
to leverage USG assistance to increase public awareness about 
avian influenza. 
 
PAYNE

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Viewing cable 09KOLKATA28, NEW AVIAN INFLUENZA OUTBREAK CONFIRMED IN WEST BENGAL