No fresh case of human infections of avian influenza among people who had come in close contact with the two bird flu-infected children in West Bengal was reported so far in the state, claimed the health department on Thursday.

While speaking to reporters today at Swasthya Bhaban, Narayan Swarup Nigam, principal secretary in charge of health department, said, “We have not yet received any fresh case of avian influenza in any person who had come close in contact with any one of the two bird flu-infected children in the state.

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There is also no report of surge in the state-wide survey on cases like influenza like illness (ILI).”

“No bird flu case among poultry birds has been reported so far even after strong surveillance. Therefore, there is no reason to panic. The health department has not yet imposed any restrictions on consumptions of chickens and eggs,” Mr Nigam said.

Vivek Kumar, additional chief secretary in charge of state animal resource and development (ARD) department, said that samples of 1,728 poultry birds have been tested in ARD laboratory during April-May but no case of bird flu was reported so far.

Bird flu scare came back again in the state after two cases of human infections of the avian influenza caused by two variants H5N1 and H9N2 respectively were reported in the state.

The WHO on Wednesday pressed an alarm button and confirmed about one case of human infection of bird flu in a child in the state.