Even as Gujarat's biennial Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2017 (VGS 2017) is less than a week away, Ahmedabad, which is just 30km from the state capital Gandhinagar, is facing a bird flu scare. More than 2,000 birds have been culled in the last two days.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the VGS 2017—which would be attended by several heads of states from across the world, CEOs of global companies, nine Nobel laureates and top leaders from the business fraternity—on January 10.
Animal Husbandry and Agriculture Minister Babubhai Bokhiria said on Wednesday that the state government has taken “necessary action” after birds that died at Asha Foundation, an NGO located in Hathijan area of Ahmedabad, were found to be having symptoms of bird flu.
He said around 26 birds died at the foundation in the past two days. Their samples were sent to Bhopal's National Institute of High Security Animal Disease and primary reports said the samples tested positive for H5N1.
Health Minister Shankar Chaudhary said there was no need to panic and added that that the state government was following the World Health Organisation's guidelines. Although humans are not carriers of H5N1 virus, seven people from Asha Foundation were administered 'Tamiflu' and have been isolated for a week, he said.
Gujarat had reported one avian flu death in 2006.
Maharashtra government has also been alerted as the birds were sourced from Crawford Market in Mumbai.
Rapid response teams have been formed for santising the area. More than 8,000 people in 22 villages near Hathijan have been surveyed so far to ensure that nobody has been affected.
People have been advised to avoid poultry, including eggs. Handlers have been told not to keep raw meat near the cooked meat.
As a precautionary measure, the Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad has set up a special isolation ward with 20 beds. Special suits will be provided to people who would be in charge of the isolation ward.
