Via República: H5N1 outbreak in Kathmandu. Excerpt:
The rapid response team deployed by the District Veterinary Clinic, Kathmandu on Saturday culled all the remaining 2,610 chickens following confirmation of H5N1 virus in the poultry farm owned by Kishor Tandukar of Jitpurfedi- 1 Kathmandu.
The team that comprises vets and technicians also destroyed 1,000 kg of chicken feeds stored in the farm.
The outbreak is the fourth in the last one-and-a-half months in the district, said the Directorate of the Animal Health (DoAH).
“Of the 4,000 chickens in the farm, the rapid response team has culled 2, 610,” said Dr Narayan Prasad Ghimire, senior veterinarian at DoAH, adding, “The remaining chickens died of infection.”
The Central veterinary Laboratory under DoAH confirmed on Friday that the chickens had contracted the virus. Following the confirmation, the district co-ordination committee led by Chief District Officer (CDO) Chudamani Sharma had taken the decision to cull the infected chickens. “We have responded on time,” he added.
A surveillance team had brought the samples on Friday morning for the analysis. Tandukar had informed the veterinary officials after scores of chickens started to die in his farm.
Dr Ghimire said that the risk of H5N1 virus spread is high during winter and hence the need for extra precaution. The directorate has urged all poultry farmers to take good care of the fowls. Fowls avoiding feed, standing still with head down and excreting saliva could be symptoms of H5N1 virus infection, said Ghimire.
