Bird flu resurfaces in eastern India

by Sanjay Jha | May 11, 2008 at 10:26 pm

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Deadly Bird Flu has revisted in the eastern part of India and the latest outbreak takes the number of infected districts in the state to 15. WHO called this outbreak in West Bengal "India's worst", especially because only four districts in the state remained safe from the virus that scientists say has the potential to cause the next big influenza pandemic.

The deadly H5N1 bird flu virus has resurfaced in West Bengal, with the latest area to be infected being a small town, Sukna, in the tea-growing hill district of Darjeeling.

Two samples sent from dead backyard poultry found in a village near the town have tested positive at Bhopal's High Security Animal Disease Laboratory. The virus had caused mortality of over 300 backyard poultry in a couple of days.