India : Farmers begin culling in Kerala's worst hit districts

Article via Deccan Herald :

" Amid concerns over avian influenza (bird flu) spreading to more areas in Kerala, duck-rearing farmers on Wednesday took the lead in mass culling in the affected regions of Alappuzha and Kottayam districts.

In Purakkad in Alappuzha district – where thousands of dead ducks were dumped on the fields – local panchayat and farmers, along with Health Department officials, began mass burning of the dead birds. 

Later, members of an action force appointed by the Animal Husbandry Department commenced mass culling and burning of the affected birds.

Similar culling drives were also initiated in Kottayam district. At least four panchayats each in Alappuzha and Kottayam districts have been identified as flu-hit areas. The flu has also been reported in neighbouring Pathanamthitta district."

16 dengue fever fatalities in Taiwan

Via Xinhua :

" A total of 13,030 Taiwan residents have contracted dengue fever this year, with 16 deaths reported, the island's disease control authorities said Tuesday.

Among the infections, 109 are diagnosed with dengue hemorrhagic fever, the most serious type of the disease, all of whom are from the worst hit area Kaohsiung City in southern Taiwan.

Dengue is a mosquito-borne, potentially fatal disease that affects up to 100 million people in tropical and subtropical regions every year, causing fever and muscle pain.

This year Taiwan has experienced its worst outbreak of the disease in the past decade, exceeding previous years, when cases rarely exceeded 2,000, according to the disease control authority."