Bhubaneswar: A 10-member team of veterinary doctors on Wednesday left for West Bengal to help in the bird flu-affected regions of the neighbouring State. The Orissa doctors, besides helping the healthcare administration in the neighbouring State, would also learn how to tackle the bird flue situation.

Meanwhile, the collectors of different districts had been alerted to keep a vigil on the import of chicken and eggs from West Benagl in the wake fresh bird flu outbreak in several other districts of Bengal.

Besides, the Government has already started distribution preventive medicines to chicken here. A team of scientists from the Bombay Natural History Society, which visited the Chilika Lake to monitor migratory birds, also went to West Bengal, official sources in the Chilika Development Authority said. This year at least 9,00,000 birds, mostly migratory, have visited the Chilika, the largest lagoon along the east coast of India, some 100 km from the State capital Bhubaneswar.

Wildlife officials at the Chilika Lake , the Bhitarkanika National Park and the Nandankanan Park have also been alerted as millions of migratory birds have thronged the State's water bodies this winter.

"We have collected blood samples of sick birds from these places and sent them to the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory in Bhopal and are awaiting their reports," official sources said.