Bird flu vaccine soon

Bhopal, Mar 10 (UNI) The state capital-based High Security Animal Disease Laboratory (HSADL) is close to preparing a vaccine against deadly H5N1 strains of bird flu.

HSADL Joint Director H K Pradhan told a seminar here today that the task of preparing a vaccine is progressing speedily and the country will get its first vaccine against the virus this year, an official release here said.

Dr Pradhan said the laboratory had prepared a kit -- one of its kind in the world -- last year to detect bird flu.

The HSADL is one of just 10 high security disease facilities in the world and the only one in Asia.

He said not a single case of bird flu has been detected so far in Madhya Pradesh.

Dr Pradhan appreciated the Indian Council for Agriculture Research for extending all possible cooperation and said it had provided Rs 8 crore for preparation of kit and vaccine.

The first cases of bird flu have been registered in the country from Nandurbar in Maharashtra and Uchhal Taluk in Surat in Gujarat.

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