300,000 people under surveilance in India

[Guest guest]

Question: what does it mean when they say that 300,000 people are

under surveillance? Are they people confined in isolation in

hospitals while they are being watched? How did they pick the 300,000

among the millions who live in the area?

In any case, this report has an alarming tone and the question is,

should we shrug it off as journalistic sensationalism or should we

take it as a reminder that the virus is very much active in a highly

overpopulated environment and a pandemic could happen at virtually any

time and when it does that it will take off like a jet plane?

300,000 people in bird flu-hit Assam under surveillance

Guwahati (IANS): Health authorities in Assam have placed under

surveillance about 300,000 people in bird flu affected areas with

reports of some 150 people suffering from fever and upper respiratory

infections, fueling fears of the deadly virus spreading to humans,

officials said Friday.

" Isolation facilities have been strengthened to admit and treat

suspect cases although no cases of influenza like illness with history

of contact with infected poultry have been detected so far, "

Parthajyoti Gogoi, regional director (northeast) of the central health

and family welfare department, told IANS.

" About 150 people were treated for fever and upper respiratory tract

infections in bird flu hit areas. We have put the patients in

isolation, although the symptoms do not indicate influenza like

illness, " he added.

The bird flu virus has spread across six Assam districts, with

authorities claiming it has assumed an epidemic proportion. More than

250,000 poultry has been culled in the past two weeks in Assam and an

estimated 150,000 more are ordered to be killed.

Health authorities have sounded a general alert fearing strains of the

deadly bird flu virus spreading to humans and sparking a pandemic in

the state.

" We are really worried about the bird flu virus spreading to humans as

the strains transmit rapidly. We don't know for sure if our health

department would be able to cope if such a thing happens, " said Assam

Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

" We want the people of Assam to cooperate with the veterinary

department so that the culling operations are carried out properly.

Otherwise, we might face a disaster, " he added.

The districts hit by bird flu are Kamrup (Metro), Kamrup (Rural),

Dibrugarh, Nalbari, Barpeta and Chirang.

The poultry targeted includes ducks and chickens. Authorities have

imposed a ban on sale of poultry and poultry products in most parts of

Assam after the bird flu outbreak.

" Additional logistics are being mobilised and we are monitoring the

situation of a daily basis, " Gogoi said.