14 DAY TRIAL // The image of thousand of chicken slaughtered dominated Western India the past few days, after the outbreak of bird flu in Navapur, where two humans are suspected to carry the H5N1 virus and are, consequently, isolated.
There are reports of a 27 year-old farmer who died from symptoms similar to bird flu. The case remains unconfirmed until results of the blood tests are released. Doctors are testing 12 people for the aviary influenza after the virus was discovered on a farm in the town of Nandurbar.
Officials are already isolating and vaccinating the birds on a 7 km radius which were in contact with dead ones. Also, the infected area was sealed and doctors are doing a door-to-door check up of the villagers around Navapur to check them for any suspicious symptoms.
Meanwhile, in Italy, the H5N1 virus was confirmed in a wild duck and six swans, totaling 16 cases so far. Despite efforts to isolate the infection and reassure the population of the low risks, poultry sales in Italy have dropped 70%. German officials ordered the slaughter of poultry on the Baltic Sea in order to stop the infection spreading to domestic birds.
As for the European Union, the virus is also present in France, Greece, Germany, Slovenia; other infected European countries are Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine and Croatia. Iran has also confirmed the disease in 135 swans; Indonesia reported the 19th death from bird flu.
In Nigeria, chief veterinary officer Junaido Maina stated: "The situation is under control ... if there are new challenges, we are up to it; we have 70 investigative and diagnostic teams to go out, get and test samples from all over the country as soon as there are a high number of deaths."