Editorial
Bird Flu spreading
Strict disposal of the culled fowl has to be ensured
The high incidence of poultry deaths and the staggering figure of culled fowls are clearly indicative of the dreadful spread of bird flu in Bangladesh. Although it has not yet crossed the critical threshold of transmuting into humans, it may be pretty close to that danger point, if we are to lower the guard.
We are still into the crisis management phase being entirely focused on disposing of the affected fowls by burying them. The entry of poultry from across the border is claimed to have been sealed off but the pertinent question is: are the livestock department and the local administrative authorities moving apace with the spread of the virus. It is the handling of the infected birds that causes contamination. A definite improvement in sanitary conditions of the poultry farms and use of gloves and masks in handling afflicted birds are key to containment of the scourge.
Making out a list of infected farms all over the country should not be a difficult proposition if the local authorities are involved. These need to be quarantined. Awareness building is required, especially among the households which have a large number of domesticated fowls to worry and be protective about.
The electronic and print media have rung the early warning bell and they remain focused on reporting the magnitude of the bird fatalities.
It is for the livestock and information ministries to coordinate in projecting the issues through audio-visual documentaries and putting out educational ads. What is missing this time is the focus on do's and dont's for the consumers. That cooking in 70 degree centigrade temperature eliminates all risk of avian flu getting into humans is an information worth disseminating. The poultry farms and the shops need to be instructed through constant hammering on do's and dont's. These steps together will enable poultry business otherwise badly hit by the malady.
What is most important, however, is that the infected or culled fowls are not recycled into markets appearing on restaurant tables. We have reports that at the sight of chickens dying in a farm the owner promptly sold off the alive fowls, least bothered by the fact that those might in all probability have been carrying the virus. Scary, isn't it?
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