Animal Resource deptt suspect other causes for farm bird deaths

Agartala, Aug 2 (UNI) With more farm birds dying in Khowai Krishi Vigyan Kendra(KVK) of West Tripura in the last 48 hours, Animal Resource Department officials here suspect other causative factors behind their deaths.

After more than 300 chickens died in KVK, the state government, concerned over the rising number of farm bird deaths, today sent the bird samples to Bhopal Animal Health Laboratory apprehending catastrophic consequence of Avian Influenza.

Animal Resource Department officials here today said that initial tests revealed that the deaths were due to some other virus other than that reponsible for bird flu.

However, the samples had been sent for the final investigation.

''A study team of veterinarians has already reached the station to oversee the situation. They have already begun culling the ducks and chickens in and outside KVK,'' said ARD officials.

No cases of bird flu have, however, been reported in other states of the northeast, but the discovery of the virus in Manipur has led to panic in the region with authorities in the adjoining states of Tripura, Assam, Nagaland and Mizoram sounding a general alert, the officials stated.

Manipur government last week sounded a general alert across the state and banned the sale and purchase of poultry after the Indian health and animal husbandry department confirmed that tests carried out on chickens that died at the Chenngmeirong farm of the state were positive for bird flu.

''We have held high level meetings and are taking all precautionary measures to control H5N1 strain of the virus from spreading to other states. Movement of chicken and other poultry from outside of the state has also been restricted,'' Tripura Animal Husbandry Minister Pranab Debbarmma said.

UNI