Chief Secretary holds meeting to monitor avian influenza in Chennai

The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has started conducting medical camps for screening residents for respiratory infection in areas where crows have died in the city.

At a meeting conducted on avian influenza by Chief Secretary N. Muruganandam on Monday, civic officials were advised to sensitise residents to it.

Corporation Commissioner J. Kumaragurubaran has directed GCC employees to prevent residents from touching infected birds with bare hands.

Anna Nagar councillor T.V. Shemmozhi said residents reported about the death of a crow in Anna Nagar on Friday. “We have taken precautionary measures,” he said.

“It is to be noted that only crows are affected and other birds are not affected in Chennai. No rise in ILI (influenza-like illness) symptoms is noted among the public,” said an official.

“People are advised not to panic and not to touch the bird’s carcasses with bare hands. Any symptoms of influenza-like illness need to be informed to the nearest GCC officers or Urban Primary Health Centres,” said the official.

Following the reports of avian influenza, GCC has examined the caretakers and people working in a park for respiratory infection.

“They are on follow-up. Medical camps have been conducted in the vicinity of the park to identify ILI cases. House-to-house survey is being carried out in the neighbourhood for ILI and SARI (severe acute respiratory infection) cases. Details of such cases are collected from private and government hospitals, and no unusual human cases are being reported,” said an official.

After a crow fall was reported in Adyar Park on January 7, the GCC has launched various activities. “The carcasses of the crows have been disposed of through deep burial under strict preventive barriers such as masks and gloves by the workers. The site of the crow fall and disposed areas were disinfected with bleaching powder,” said an official.