Bird flu detected in poultry samples in West Bengal

Avian influenza, popularly known as Bird Flu, has been confirmed in Nadia district in West Bengal.

Avian influenza, popularly known as Bird Flu, has been confirmed in Nadia district in West Bengal.

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"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.