The United States has offered help to India in containing the bird flu outbreak in West Bengal by providing preventive drug Tamiflu and protective gear to personnel involved in culling and other operations.

The US government has offered to check the availability of Tamiflu syrup for children from worldwide stocks, provide technical support for human surveillance, diagnosis, and preparedness and technical support for animal surveillance and culling.

"We have an experience that it (bird flu) moves very quickly so it needs to be tackled fast. No case has come across of human beings having contracted the disease. But it has to be nipped in the bud before it moves forward," said US Ambassador to India David Mulford.

The offer is for technical devices, equipment and Tamiflu, he said, noting that the United States was "very concerned about the problem".

"We made an offer a few days ago. We are in touch with laboratories," Mulford said, adding that help can be extended directly or through non governmental organisations.