More birds dead; deer park shut

New Delhi: The city government shut down famous Hauz Khas Deer Park amid bird flu scare with death of eight more avians on Thursday in suspected cases of H5N1 influenza virus. The suspected bird flu toll has now gone up to 18 since Friday. “At our helpline, eight bird deaths were reported on Thursday at four places which include two at Delhi Zoo, two at Deer Park, one at Tuglkabad area and death of three crows at Sundar Nagar,” development minister Gopal Rai said. He said the samples of all dead birds have been sent to a laboratory in Jalandhar. Of the 10 birds which had died till Wednesday at the Delhi Zoo since October 14, three have been confirmed as bird flu cases. The Delhi Zoo is already shut due to the bird flu scare.