"We will start active surveillance in 50 households today," said Dr Manas Kumar Banarjee, coordinator of the Avian Influenza Control Project under the Ministry, who is recently inspecting the affected area. [break]
A doctor, an epidemiologist, and the chief of the rapid response team in Jhapa district, will go door-to-door to take the histories of those living around the crisis zone.
The team will investigate if the people have travelled to bird flu-affected areas, have come in contact with dead chicks or chickens, if they have had any contact with a person who has died of acute respiratory disease recently, or if the person is suffering from a cold or cough, Dr Banarjee said.
Besides Dr Banarjee, Dr Govinda Ojha (director general of the Department of Health Services) (DHS), and Dr Senendra Upreti (chief of Epidemiology and Disease Control Division of the DHS) are conducting the inspections.
If any person is suspected of possibly carrying the virus, he/she will be taken to Bhadrapur Hospital and kept under intensive care. Tests conducted at the hospital will then be brought to the National Public Health Laboratory in Kathmandu to undergo the N5PCR test.
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