Nepal records 1st bird flu case; govts orders control measures

16 Jan 2009, 1407 hrs IST, PTI

KATHMANDU: Nepal has detected its first bird flu case of the season in a district bordering India, a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Prachanda said on Friday.

The bird flu virus was detected in samples from an eastern Nepalese Mechinagar municipality bordering India.

The cabinet meeting officially confirmed that bird flu was found in Ward No 10 of the municipality, according to cabinet sources.

The government has directed the concerned authorities to immediately take measures to confine and control bird flu, Minister for Science and Technology Ganesh Shah said.

After bird flu was tested in birds in the eastern Nepal municipality near Kakarbhitta, Nepal government has decided to send "rapid group" to the area to take necessary measures as per international standard, he said.

The rapid group is a team of experts and quarantine officials that would take all necessary steps to prevent spreading of the disease.

The government has directed the authorities to isolate the area from other areas and to quell all the birds found within three kilometre radius of the place so that the virus could not spread to other areas.

Nepal has earlier, banned import of birds and poultry products as the bird flu was found in various districts of India bordering Nepal.
hat-tip Helblindi