Health officials to carry out clinical tests on dead fowls

Theni, Tamil Nadu Jan 24 (UNI) Health officials today collected the samples of hundreds of dead fowls, dumped in a pool in Vellakaradu village near Devathanapatti in this district for clinical analysis, as rumours of the outbreak of avian flu gripped the residents of the village.

Official sources said a team led by Deputy Director (health) Balasubramanian, rushed to the village and collected the samples of the dead fowls for clinical tests.

The dead broiler hens were removed from the pool and later buried. Chemical powder was sprayed in and around the pool to prevent outbreak of water-borne diseases as the water in the pool was contaminated, due to the dumping of hundreds of dead hens.

Meanwhile, Health officials ruled out bird flu in Theni district and appealed to the people not to panic about avian influenza.

A detailed investigation was on to find out the exact reason for the mass death of fowls in a private poultry farm, the sources said.

The owner of the poultry farm Ponnuswamy, who had dumped the dead fowls in the pool yesterday, was taken into custody by the police for interrogation.

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