Sero surveillance launched in Vasco following death of 60 birds

Panaji, Feb 23 (UNI) Sporadic deaths of about 60 domestic birds at Baina in Vasco-da-Gama city over the last few days have prompted the administration to undertake a ''sero surveillance'' in the area.

''The chicken died of 'bacilliary white diarrohea' and there is no cause for concern. Yet we are sending throat swabs of the birds to the High Security Animal Diseases laboeratory at Bhopal for testing for the dreaded bird flu,'' Goa Disease Investigation Unit's Nodal Officer Dr Earnest D'Costa told UNI.

He said that the sporadic deaths of domestic birds should not worry anybody as it did not occur in poultry farms which were prone to the birdflu. All precautions had however been taken and vigil kept at the area where the owners did not care to dispose of the dead birds properly.

Dr D'Costa said the latest report from the Bhopal Laboratory Chief officer Dr H K Pradhan showed ''negative'' in respect of the 153 serum samples sent to it. It includes report for three wild birds.

The reports earlier for 550 samples collected from 70 different poultry farms had also reported ''negative'' for bird flu, he said.

The investigation teams, in collaboration with the forest authorities, had collected droppings of yet another seven migratory birds visiting the Karambolim lake and twelve from the famous Salim Ali sanctuary for dispatch to the Bhopal Laboratory for testing soon, he added.

Meanwhile, fish vendors have been making hay with demand for fishes zooming as people shunned chicken following the bir dflu scare.

UNI BM MAZ VD RAI2334