Surveillance tightened in eastern border after Bird Flu scare

Local authorities in eastern Jhapa and Ilam districts have tightened surveillance after Bird Flu was detected in chicken in Mechinagar Municipality of Jhapa district recently.

Specialist teams have started culling chicken and other birds and destroying poultry production in Mechinagar, which has been declared Bird Flu risk zone, from Sunday. An expert team led by Dr R.K Khatiwada, head of Bird Flu Control Project, has already arrived in the affected area from Kathmandu.

Three kilometers periphery of the customs office in Mechinagar has been declared Bird Flu risk zone.

The local administration of Jhapa has said as many as 13,000 birds will be culled and safely disposed in Mechinagar and surrounding areas. Apart from culling birds and destroying poultry products, tools used in poultry firms will be sterilised.

Around 350 poultry firms in the area are now under Bird Flu surveillance while the import of birds from bordering India has been tightly controlled, reports quoting local officials said.

An emergency cabinet meeting on Friday had announced Bird Flu alert in Jhapa. The announcement came after laboratory tests conducted in London showed Bird Flu in chicken samples taken from a household in Mechinagar.

Avian influenza commonly known as Bird Flu is an infection caused by avian (bird) influenza (flu) viruses and it can also infect humans. Avian influenza is very contagious among birds and can quickly make domesticated birds sick and kill them.

Source : nepalnews.com mk Jan 18 09