The H5N1 virus causes a type of influenza in birds that is highly contagious and can be deadly. It does not usually infect people unless they come in close contact with infected birds or contaminated surfaces. All human samples tested for infection have proved negative so far.
The nine districts now in the grip of the bird flu epidemic are Birbhum, South Dinajpur, Murshidabad, Nadia, Burdwan, Bankura, Malda, Hooghly and Cooch Behar.
Several states have banned the import of chicken from West Bengal. The central government has asked the state to seal its borders with Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.
Image:A farmer buries chickens suspected to have died of birdflu at Idgawan village in the Ranchi district of Jharkhand.
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