Bird flu recurs after three years

Nearly three years into the elimination of a highly contagious bird flu virus in the country, a recent outbreak of the particular strain of avian influenza resulted in deaths of 3,000 birds at a poultry farm in the capital's outskirt Dhamrai.

Government's livestock department, poultry industry officials as well as the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) confirmed deaths of 732 chickens by the flu strain -- H5N1 -- and subsequent culling of 2,268 birds at the single poultry unit on January 16.

Director of Livestock Research Institute, Dr H B M Golam Mahmud, confirmed The Daily Star yesterday that so far it was the only case of bird flu at a commercial poultry farm while the cause of death of nearly two dozen crows in Rajshahi earlier last week was also diagnosed to be with H5N1 virus.

Dr Mahmud, also a chief veterinary officer currently representing Bangladesh in Paris-based OIE, however, assured that there was no reason to panic as surveillance has been in place since detection of bird flu in Dhamrai and there has been no other report of outbreak as of yesterday.

Different strains of bird flu have been spreading across Europe and Asia since late last year, leading to mass culling of poultry in certain countries.

Nearly 40 countries have reported new outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in poultry or wild birds since November last year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The situation has prompted the WHO to call on all countries to monitor closely outbreaks of the deadly virus and to report promptly any human cases that could signal the start of a flu pandemic.

"The rapidly expanding geographical distribution of these outbreaks and the number of virus strains currently co-circulating have put WHO on high alert," WHO Director General Margaret Chan said in Geneva on Monday.

There are different strains of bird flu virus. The H5N1 virus can cause illness and death in humans, but scientists say the chances of being infected are low.

Official records show Bangladesh's poultry industry last reported a H5N1 outbreak back in April, 2014 and since then there was one known case of the flu that caused deaths of several dozen  crows in Rajshahi in February last year.

In the beginning of the third week of this January, two outbreaks were detected -- one at a Dhamrai poultry farm causing deaths and culling of 3,000 birds and the other one in Rajshahi causing deaths of some 22 crows. 

Dr H B M Golam Mahmud said initially, it was found out that the 15-week- old birds in that particular Dhamrai farm were not vaccinated. The reason for the outbreak is, however, still being investigated, he added.

There are several major migratory routes for wild birds over the country, and the Dhamrai farm is close to a migratory bird sanctuary.

Dr Mahmud said if the people involved in the industry remain alert and do due diligences in terms of vaccination and disinfection, things would not go out of control.

Officials have assured that poultry meats and eggs are safe to eat after cooking as usual. 

Dr M M Khan, secretary general of Bangladesh Poultry Industries Association, said after the new outbreak report, they have alerted all concerned and building further awareness for preemptive protections. 

Dr Nitish C Debnath, a national consultant at the Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) Emergency Centre for Transboundary Diseases emphasised on further enforcing vaccination of the birds, particularly at breeders' farms, ensuring at least two doses -- one at chick stage and the other one when the birds reach 12 weeks.

Dr Nitish, also a former vice-chancellor of Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, called for proper reporting of birds' diseases so that no stains of flu remained hidden and unreported. "Otherwise, we'll not be able to          allay the worry of any potential pandemic."

Bird flu was first reported in Bangladesh's burgeoning poultry industry back in March, 2007, resulting in loss of nearly two million chickens and so far, only a single case of flu being transmitted to human was reported in May, 2008. There was on and off reports of bird flu outbreaks till late 2013, resulting in shutting down of hundreds of small and medium poultry farms.

However, the government and WHO initiatives and awareness building, better vigilance, promotion of vaccination programme helped the industry spring back with some 5,000 farms restarting poultry rearing again in 2013-14.

Industry sources said the number of poultry farms more than doubled to over one lakh over the last two decades, largely catering to the domestic needs of poultry meat and eggs. Commercial poultry production has been growing rapidly in the country since early 1990 by using improved genetics, manufactured feeds and management. Around the same time, the poultry feed industry also propelled banking on farmers' rising interests in maize cultivation.

WHO DG Margaret Chan said on Monday that the world is better prepared for the next influenza pandemic, following the one that circled the world in 2009-10, "but not at all well enough."

Under the International Health Regulations, a binding legal instrument, WHO's 194 member states are required to detect and report human cases promptly, Chan said, adding: "We cannot afford to miss the early signals".