Kathmandu Culled 500 Birds After Bird Flu Outbreak

Nepalese health workers have culled hundreds of chickens and ducks following the first reported outbreak of bird flu in the capital Kathmandu, a government official said Thursday.

A health official in Kathmandu confirmed that hundreds of chicken and ducks were culled following the first reported outbreak of bird flu.

"Over 500 chickens and ducks have been slaughtered in the last three days. We also destroyed dozens of eggs and several kilos of poultry feed," government health official Narayan Prasad Ghimire told AFP.

Avian Influenza / Bird Flu-Causes-Symptoms-Treatment- FAQs
Bird flu (avian influenza/avian flu) is a disease caused by an influenza virus (H5N1) that primarily affects birds but can infect humans also.

Ghimire said a rapid response team was mobilised in the area on the outskirts of Kathmandu to prevent the virus spreading to other parts of the city.

The outbreak was discovered after a local poultry farmer told health officials that 90 of his chickens had suddenly died.

Samples sent to a laboratory in Britain confirmed the H5N1 strain.

Quiz on Flu
Influenza (or rather, the flu) is a cold weather infectious condition that affects the young and old alike. Though most reported cases are mild, the flu can sometimes cause severe and life-threatening complications in both children and adults, thanks to wrong medications and improper vaccinations. Learn more about the disease from our Flu Quiz and guard yourself and your family from a possible infection.

"We've banned the production and consumption of poultry products in the crisis-hit area. Poultry farming will not be allowed for at least one and half months," said Ghimire.

Nepal's first reported outbreak of bird flu in poultry was in January 2009 when the virus was discovered in the eastern part of the Himalayan country.

Bird Flu Outbreak in West Bengal
Bird flu has been confirmed in poultry samples in West Bengal's Nadia District.

If it spreads to humans, bird flu can cause fever, cough, sore throat, pneumonia, respiratory disease and sometimes death.

Source-AFP

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