Your worst fears are set to come true. The government says the avian flu infection may have been transferred to humans, and a few cases under observation are showing signs of the virus.
NEW DELHI: Your worst fears are set to come true. The government says the avian flu infection may have been transferred to humans, and a few cases under observation are showing signs of the virus.
With two of the 12 people kept under observation in isolation wards testing positive for avian influenza, the focus shifts from birds to humans. Both cases are from Navapur block in Maharashtra’s Nandurbar district.
All 12 patients, including six children, have infections of the upper respiratory tract and a history of poultry deaths in their backyard farms. Besides, all were in contact with possibly infected poultry.
The patients had been quarantined and put on Tamiflu. But the drug is effective only if taken within 48 hours of infection, and it is feared that the window was already shut in these cases.
The detection of infection would necessitate a more aggressive quarantine process. Barring one, there is no case of human-to-human transmission of avian flu anywhere in the world.
“We do not rule out the possibility of a human being affected,” Union Health Secretary PK Hota said, “and there is a distinct possibility of human contamination.” When pressed, he said, “Initial reports suggest that a few people are mildly affected though they are not showing any sign of clinical distress. A final confirmation will arrive by Thursday.”
Late on Wednesday evening, the government faxed a message that there is no official confirmation of two persons testing positive. A press conference scheduled for Wednesday was postponed by a day.
Meanwhile, reacting to the Centre’s note on dropping chicken from in-flight menus, Indian Airlines and Air-India admitted to “overreaction” and agreed to resume serving it on flights from Thursday. The railways have cancelled the Navapur halt of four trains. MSRTC buses will also skip the town.
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