01/12/2011

500 birds culled after reports of bird flu in Nepal

kathmandu, Dec 1 (PTI) At least 500 chickens and ducks have been culled and hundreds of eggs destroyed following the first reported outbreak of bird flu in one of the poultry farms in the Kathmandu Valley, official said today
After some 100 chickens died in the poultry the preliminary tests showed bird flu symptoms in the incident.

Five hundred chickens and ducks have been killed and dozens of eggs have been destroyed in the last three days, the official said.

Two dozen schools in Bhaktapur district in Kathmandu valley have also been closed since Friday after bird flu panic gripped Bhaktapur district.

The Private And Boarding School Organisation of Nepal (PABSON) has decided to close down the schools in the district till Monday after bird flu has been suspected in different parts of Bhaktapur and Kathmandu districts, according to the organisation.

Four pigeons have also died in Kaushaltar area of Bhaktapur district on Wednesday and bird flu has been suspected in the incident.
Similarly, reports have poured about birds falling sick from Thankot and Lazimpat in the outskirt of the capital city on Wednesday.

Samples birds killed of illness have been sent to the laboratory of the Animal Hospital situated in Tripureshwor in Kathmandu for test, according to officials.

The number of people coming for treatment of sick birds has also been rising over the past few days, according to the hospital sources.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Rajendra Mahato said that the government''s attention has been drawn to the suspected bird flu incidents and the government is preparing for necessary action to control the outbreak of the diseases, he told PTI.

The government has mobilised Rapid Response Team to the affected area and necessary precautions have been taken to check spreading of the disease in the area.

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