Is the Siliguri Bird Flu Scare Justified?

According to this article, many Indian experts are concerned that some governments and authorities are using hype and 'scare mongering' about avian influenza when reporting on the death of poultry. The article refers to the avian flu scare that resulted after the death of 2,300 poultry in north Bengal in 2007. The government recanted the initial bird flu alert regarding the deaths when tests determined that the birds died from Newcastle disease and not avian flu.

According to Dr. Leo Rebello, President of the Indian Council of Natural Medicine and Research, epidemic scares are politicised to accommodate many interests, including those of drug companies, banks, and insurance companies.

According to Dr. AP Sachdeva, of The Poultry Foundation of India (PFI), avian flu is an unfounded apprehension. He says, “People are quick to judge it’s bird flu because they don’t know any better. There is a host of reasons for birds to die, that include intense heat; shortage of sprinklers on the farm, tinned roofs and cramped sheds.”