Result of suspected H5N1 virus test likely by March 8

The result of the much awaited samples of H5N1 virus of the deadly 'bird flu' sent to National Reference Laboratory (NRL) Weybridge, England, are due on March 8, a senior animal health official at Veterinary Research Institute (VRI) Peshawar told Business Recorder on Monday.
Last week, Pakistan sent the samples of the suspect infected chicks of two poultry farms in NWFP districts of Charsadda and Abbottabad to the European Union laboratory in England for seeking their opinion.
According to Animal Husbandry Commissioner Dr Mohammad Afzal, Pakistan lacks research facility to diagnose the result of N1 virus. The authorities had culled more than 30,000 chicks of the two suspected poultry farms and eight workers have been quarantined.
To keep surveillance over the possible outbreak of the deadly disease, the NWFP government has established a special task force with Special Secretary to Chief Minister on Agriculture and Livestock as chairman. The task has representation from all concerned departments.
Meanwhile, as a preventive measure, the government was planning to launch an epidemiological survey in the country. In this connection the animal health authorities would collect samples of chicks from all poultry farms and migratory birds all around the country.
"The disease spread through waves and through epidemiological survey the scientist would be in position to know that the disease has enter the borders of the country or not," said Dr Saeedullah Jan, director, VRI, Peshawar. He said the process would remain continue and keep surveillance and monitoring of the migratory birds on and would also check the routes used by the migratory birds entry into the country.
As a preventive measure, the VRI director said that a contingency plan has also been prepared for the province. The plan has suggested that in case of the outbreak of the disease, all kind of birds within an area of three-km square would be culled.
Regarding the initiation of vaccination against the disease, he said the government had already talked to three companies. However, he said the matter of H5N1 was of the serious nature; therefore, we are not going for launching vaccination campaign in the province.
He said that as a contingency plan the provincial government has launched an awareness campaign and keeping surveillance of the wet areas near big dams like Tarbela while veterinary doctors are also visiting different poultry farms of the province. "We are monitoring mortality at poultry farms and special committees under the chairmanship of DCOs have also been constituted at district level for creation of awareness among the people.
He dispelled the impression of outbreak of bird flu, saying that in present circumstances it is only avian influenza as it has not shifted to human. "It is now only suspected bird flu and the situation would be cleared after the results from NRL England, which is expected in few days," he added.