Bird flu: Haryana takes precautionary measures

Chandigarh, Aug 6 (UNI) The Haryana Animal Husbandry Department has increased the routine serum sampling for avian influenza (bird flu) in the state as a precautionary measure.

The department sent 800 samples for testing at Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (RDDL), Jalandhar in Punjab and High Security Animal Disease Laboratory (HSADL), Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh during the current financial year which were found negative, a spokesman for the Animal Husbandry Department said here today.

During the last financial year 2000 samples were sent for testing and no sample was found positive for the disease.

He said avian influenza was a Zoonotic disease of chicken, Turkey, Guinea, Fowls and other avian species especially migratory water fowl. It was caused by a virus and H5N1 strain of this virus was highly pathogenic for birds and humans.

The spokesman said there were no chances of the spread of bird flu, which had struck the North Eastern state of Manipur, to Haryana as migratory birds, which would start flying to the state in the month of October, followed the route from the Kashmir side.

However, the Government had alerted the main stake holders to intensify the surveillance work to review and assess the preparedness as well as raise more social awareness.

The department had constituted 250 Rapid Response Teams and intensified surveillance work. An Action Plan for control and containment of the bird flu had been circulated to all departments concerned and poultry breeders.

He said there were about 214 lakh poultry birds being reared in about 2000 poultry farms in the state.

UNI