Sunday, February 22, 2009

Rapid response team off to affected area

By Lila Baral
JHAPA, Feb 22 - In its bid to control the outbreak of bird flu in other parts of Jhapa district from Sharanamati VDC, the government mobilised a rapid response team in the affecteda area on Saturday.

Laboratory tests conducted on dead chickens of a poultry firm belonging to Sajibul Rahaman in Sharanamati have proved that 149 chickens from the firm died of bird flu a week ago. This is the second outbreak of bird flu in Jhapa and the country.

Following the confirmation, the government, on Sunday, declared emergency in the area within a perimeter of three kilometres from Rahman's poultry farm. The 50-member team will start culling chickens in the designated area from Sunday. Coordinator of the team Dr. Suvash Siwakoti said, “We'll start culling chickens and other birds in the designated area from Sunday morning.”

The team said it would cull over 9,000 chickens and other birds in the area in course of a week. The government had culled around 24,000 birds following the confirmation of a bird flu outbreak in Kakadbhitta in the second week of January.

The government has also set up a bird flu control section at the border police post of Taghandubba to curb import of chickens and poultry products from India.

On Saturday, the 50-member team held discussions with local people and apprised them of safety precautions that need to be taken.

Posted on: 2009-02-22 03:26:30

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