Odisha Has No Confirmed Case Of Bird Flu In Humans, Says Health Minister

Bhubaneswar: Dismissing reports of a man from Puri district being infected with bird flu, the Odisha government on Thursday made it clear that no confirmed case of avian influenza has been detected in human beings in the state.

Samples collected from a suspected human case of bird flu in Mangalpur area of Puri district has turned out to be negative for H5N1, Health and Family Welfare Minister Mukesh Mahaling said.
The samples had been sent to the Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC), Bhubaneswar and Virology Centre in Pune for test.

Advising people not to panic, he said the person concerned has been kept in isolation and necessary medical treatment is being provided.

Stating that the state government is taking all necessary steps to contain the spread of bird flu, the Minister said micro and ground level action plan to contain the disease has been rolled out.

After bird flue outbreak in two blocks – Satyabadi and Pipili – in Puri district, Rapid Response Teams (RRT) were formed to deal with the situation, while mass killing of birds was undertaken in the affected areas.