Mules kept under scanner against influenza in Garhwal

DEHRADUN, 25 May:
In all, 41 mules have been admitted to Animal Health Centres in the bid establish control over Equine Influenza at Dunda and Naugaon. Ten mules have been brought to Gyansu Hospital from nearby villages.
Taking no chances, the administration has started collecting blood samples from around 2,000 animals plying on the Jankichatti Yamunotri Yatra route. A truck load of limestone, bleaching powder and other medicines has reached the Animal Husbandry Department.
Eight mules are being treated at Naugaon and 33 others at Dunda. A similar number of animals have been discharged after tests from these centres. The Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Avinash Anand, said that no animal had died despite 15 days of illness. The Bhuvaneshwari Mahila Bhuvneshwari Ashram has taken responsibility of providing fodder for the animals.

Earlier:

MUSSOORIE: The Equine Influenza in Horses at Badrinath, for which more than a dozen horses and mules have tested positive, has led to a statewide direction by the Animal Husbandry Department to collect Samples from Mussoorie and the nearby region.
According to the Deputy Director, Animal Husbandry Department, Kamal Mehrotra, blood samples of horses collected in Badrinath region were sent to a research unit in Hissar, which had revealed that virus A/ecui 2 was responsible for the Influenza attack on the horses in the region. He further said that in the wake of the emergency, the AH officials have been directed to collect samples from every horse and mule in the state for further investigation. The officials in Mussoorie have also been directed to collect samples as early as possible, so that the disease does not spread. Dr Kamal Mehrotra gave the assurance that the disease was non-communicable and risk of its transmission to Humans was negligible. He further said that the symptoms of the disease were sneezing, cough and other viral complications.
Unfortunately, the Veterinary Hospital in Mussoorie is lacking in the capability and equipment to conduct such tests and it remains to be seen how the officials react to the situation.