New bird flu outbreak in India

Avian influenza, popularly known as bird flu, has been confirmed in Nadia district in West Bengal.

New Delhi: Avian influenza, popularly known
as bird flu, has been confirmed in Nadia district in West
Bengal.

"Bird flu has been confirmed in poultry samples collected
from two villages of Tehatta I block in Nadia District of West
Bengal," an official statement said.

The samples sent to the ERDDL Kolkata and High Security
Animal Disease Laboratory (HSADL) Bhopal have tested positive
for H5 strain of Avian Influenza, it added.

The government has ordered immediate culling of birds and
destruction of eggs and feed material to control the spread of
the disease, the statement said.

"It has also been decided that the entire poultry will be
culled within a radius of three kilometers (km) of the foci of
infection. In addition to the culling strategy, surveillance
will be carried out over a further radius up to 10 km," it
added.

The West Bengal government has been asked to furnish a
daily report on the control and containment operations to the
Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries.

The Centre has advised declaration of infected and
surveillance areas, ban on movement of poultry and products in
the infected area/closure of poultry and egg markets and shops
within a radius of 10 km from the infected site, said the
statement.

Ban on movement of farm personnel, restricting access to
wild and stray birds, restricting access to the infected
premises, destruction of birds, disposal of dead birds and
infected materials has also been recommended, it added.

PTI

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