Bird Flu Outbreak in Northeastern India, Culling of Poultry Begins in Manipur

Poultry industry is on high alert after bird culling began at the Indian Council of Agriculture Research on April 20. It is expected to go on for two days.

Bird flu or avian influenza outbreak in northeastern state of Manipur has scared the poultry industry and the culling of birds began on April 20.

Manipur Chief Secretary P.C. Lawmkunga, said, "Samples of sick poultry birds from the ICAR (Indian Council of Agriculture Research) poultry unit at Lamphelpat were found to contain H5 strain of avian influenza virus."

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He said the Bhopal-based National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases has confirmed the outbreak of Avian Influenza at the poultry unit of ICAR.

"Culling of birds at the ICAR farm started on April 20," said Lawmkunga, adding that the culling of poultry birds at the farm would continue for the next few days.

He said the birds of adjoining villages within a radius of 10 km, which have been declared as an infected and surveillance zone, would be culled in the next few days.

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The two southern states in India are anxious about their poultry businesses and livelihoods after the Telangana government decided to cull 145,000 birds.

The fowl owners will be adequately compensated, the chief secretary announced. In addition to culling of birds, huge quantities of eggs and feed material would also be destroyed.

The state government issued a notification banning movement, transportation and sale of poultry birds, including eggs, within the surveillance zone.

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Center has asked Uttar Pradesh for a daily report on the control measures taken for the bird flu outbreak in Amethi district.

Manipur, bordering Myanmar, has been affected by bird flu earlier too.

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To prevent the spread of H7N9 avian influenza, which has killed six people in the country, Shanghai's live poultry markets were shut on Saturday as it culled birds.

Source-Medindia