Imphal, March 24: Even as the people of Manipur are yet to come to terms with the uncertainty over the death of many people bitten by suspected rabid dogs, the scare of bird flu has started to haunt the people once more with report of the outbreak of avian influenza in Mandalay central town in neighbouring Myanmar coming in.

Close on the heels of the Government announcement that anti-Rabies vaccine would be provided free of cost to vaccinate pet dogs, fresh injunction has been imposed on bringing in poultry products from Myanmar to the bordering districts of Churchandpur, Ukhrul and Chandel district in Manipur.

According to an official source from the State Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Department, the step to provide free Anti-Rabies vaccine has been taken up in view of the reported death of many people after being bitten by dogs suffering from suspected cases of Rabies during the past few weeks, espeically inThoubal dist.

An order issued by Deputy Secretary of the Department Lalbanga Hangzo yesterday exempted charging of fee for registration and vaccination of dogs till the situation of canine scare is brought under complete control.

Along with this measure, the Department has also submitted a proposal to the Chief Minister for sanctioning the required fund for immunising all the dogs in Manipur, the source informed, adding that there are in all 1,32,000 dogs in Manipur as per the 2002 census.

Till March 13, the doctors of the Department has administered anti-Rabies vaccine to 15,000 dogs, the source said, informing that the mass vaccination campaign being carried out by three mobile teams in Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal District and Bishnupur district has also spread out to other hill districts including Tamenglong.

Replying to a question on the number of Rabid dogs which have died till today, the official source categorically stated that there has been no such official report apart from the heads of the two dogs which died from suspected Rabies and brought to the Department.

Nor the Department has the report on the status of the type of the virus causing the Rabies menace in Manipur, the source said, while identifying the two kinds of anti-Rabies vaccine presently used in Manipur as Raksharab and Nobivac.

When asked on possible effect of eating the meat of the Rabies affected dogs, the official cautioned against eating such meat as far as possible as there is greater chances of getting into contact with the virus at the time of preparing the meat.

The virus causing Rabies could be either very potent or otherwise and there are cases of virus directly attacking the brain once it enters inside the body of the victims, the source elaborated.

Though cases of Rabies have been witnessed in the past, the variant of the virus causing the disease has not yet been identified nor there is any virologist who could do the job, the source disclosed.

On the other hand, import of poultry products like chicken, other domestic fowls and eggs to the three hill districts of Manipur namely Chandel, Churachandpur and Ukhrul from Myanmar has been restricted following the outbreak of bird flu in the second largest city of Myanmar, Central Mandalay town, the source informed.

On March 16, Commissioner of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry IS Laishram communicated to all the SPs of the three hill districts seeking police co-operation in preventing spread of bird flu and implement the restriction order fully.

The matter has also been brought to the knowledge of the not only the SDPO, Moreh but also to all the Deputy Commissioners and district officials concerned, the source informed.

The personnel of the Veterinary Hospital at Moreh have also been instructed to work in co-ordination with SDPO Moreh to monitor all the goods being brought in from Myanmar to Manipur round the clock to find out if there is any poultry products among them, the source said.

The notification issued by the Commission also mentioned that the Government of India has already written to the Food and Agriculture Organisation, UN and other concern countries for extending necessary assistance to Myanmar in fighting against bird flu, the source said.