Agartala, April 07: The avian influenza has extended its grip to Tripura as samples from state's Dhalai district tested positive with thousands of birds dying in the past two weeks, official sources said here on Monday.
A red alert has been sounded by the state government to prohibit import of poultry from outside the state, including neighbouring Bangladesh, which shares a 856-km-long porous border with Tripura. Personnel of BSF and special surveillance teams have been keeping tab in these border areas, sources said.
Tripura was gripped by the flu scare after at least 3,000 birds, including poultry, died in three villages of Mohanpur, Malaya and Tilagang in Kamalpur sub-division in Dhalai district bordering Bangladesh, the sources said.
Samples of the dead poultry were then sent to the high-security Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Bhopal, on Thursday. The samples tested positive according to preliminary reports received yesterday, sources added.
An alarmed state administration has decided to cull 25,000 birds in eight Gram Panchayat areas which fall within five-km radius of the affected villages.
The administration has also kept 200 teams ready for culling and procured anti-flu virus from Delhi to prepare for any eventuality.
Commissioner of Animal Resource Department (ARD) U Venkateswarlu reviewed the situation at a meeting, which was attended by ARD Director, District Health and Medical Officer, District Magistrate and other senior officials, sources added.
Bureau Report
First Published: Monday, April 07, 2008, 00:00