Salmonella virus the next threat?

By Lakna Paranamanna

Indicating a possible spread of the Salmonella virus, several deaths of birds in the vicinity of Handapangala tank in Moneragala had also been reported by last Friday.
“Villagers of that area have found about hundred corpses of dead birds around the tank area. But it is not clear whether the tank water is actually contaminated or whether previous exposure to the contaminated water of the Hambegamuwa Tank caused the death of these birds,” said environmentalist Jagath Gunawardena. The first case of the salmonella virus surfaced after several birds were found dead in the vicinity of the Hambegamuwa Tank in Tanamalwila.
According to Gunawardena the birds found dead were all water birds and protected species in Sri Lanka into and included several Night herons and one Pelican. However, he added that considering the rainfall pattern, the possibility of the virus spreading is at a very low rate.
As Salmonella is a virus that can affect the human body, villagers living close to the Hambegamuwa Tank were advised to prevent from using water from the Hambegamuwa tank.