Crow carcasses from Pong Lake test +ve
A total of 4,020 birds, most of them migratory, have been found dead due to H5N1 virus in Pong Wetland since December 28
DHARAMSHALA/SHIMLA: The Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Jalandhar, has confirmed the presence of the H5N1 virus strain in crow carcasses found in the periphery of Pong Lake Wetlands, the epicentre of the bird flu outbreak in Himachal Pradesh.
The deputy director of the animal husbandry department, Kangra, Sanjeev Dhiman, said of the three crow samples sent to the Jalandhar lab. two tested positive for avian flu.
“The samples will now be sent to the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory, Bhopal, for further verification,” Dhiman said.
He said that 119 samples of poultry birds will also be tested in the Bhopal lab. The reports are expected by Tuesday.
A total of 4,020 birds, most of them migratory, have been found dead due to the H5N1 virus in the Pong Wetland since December 28. As many as 318 birds were found dead on Saturday.
Seventy-six crows were also found dead in the Fatehpur subdivision adjoining Pong Lake.
The wildlife department has set up a control room in Nagrota Surian to disseminate information about bird flu. The assistant conservator, wildlife, Chamba, has been posted at Nagrota Surian to assist the DFO, wildlife, Hamirpur, in containing the outbreak of the flu.
Scare in Paonta Sahib
Panic gripped Kedarpur village in Paonta Sahib sub division of Sirmaur district after 61 crows were found dead in the area.
A team of officials from the forest department, comprising divisional forest officer (DFO) Kunal Angrish, accompanied by veterinary officials rushed to the spot. Angrish said samples of the dead crow have been to RRDL, Jalandhar. The carcasses were were buried and the area was sanitised. The sudden death of 61 crows at Kedarpur village in Paonta Sahib subdivision of Sirmaur district sparked fears of the flu outbreak. A forest department team rushed to the spot. Samples of the crows have been sent for testing.
5 bird deaths in Karnal
KARNAL: At least six pond herons were found dead mysteriously in Commando Complex in Newal village of Karnal district. The cause behind the death could not be confirmed and the post-mortem of birds has been conducted at local level. Karnal deputy director, animal husbandry, Dharmender Singh said the birds were found dead and samples have been sent for viscera examination at the Regional Diseases Diagnostic Laboratory in Jalandhar to know the exact cause of death. He advised the people, especially poultry farmers, that there is no need to panic as there was confirmation about the flu in the district yet.
Dead chickens dumped along highway in Solan
Meanwhile, more than 200 dead chickens were found dumped on the Kalka-Shimla national highway in Solan district for the second consecutive day. The animal husbandry department has sent samples of the chickens to the Jalandhar lab. The dead birds were buried as per the protocol.
Ghazipur meat market shut amid bird flu scare
NEW DELHI: The Delhi government on Saturday announced the closure of the Ghazipur wholesale poultry market for 10 days and banned the import of live birds in the Capital as a preventive measure to stop the potential spread of avian influenza, or bird flu, after more bird deaths were reported, prompting the shutdown of a few recreational parks and the Sanjay Lake.