Bhubaneswar: Bird flu was detected for the first time in Odisha as the central laboratory confirmed the virus in two dead fowls in Khurda district, official sources
said on Monday.
"The union government on Sunday communicated to the
state about the detection of H5N1 virus in two dead poultry found in the backyard of a house," Satyabrata Sahu, Secretary of Fisheries and Animal Resource Development department told reporters.
Earlier the state government had sent the two dead
poultry to the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory
(HSADL), Bhopal after suspecting bird flu, he said.
"A central team is likely to arrive here this evening
to guide the personnel engaged in the field," Sahu said
adding that the state government had not yet received any
direction from the Centre on culling of birds in the affected
area.
There were about 40,000 poultry in Keranga area of
Khurda district, he said.
Though the state was hit by bird flu scare earlier in
2005, 2006 and 2008, no H5N1 virus was detected in the state.
However, some birds were culled then, sources said.
PTI
