HP government prepares to counter bird flu

Shimla, Jan 16 (UNI) Swinging into action following detection of bird flu in West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh government has set up 'fast response teams' to prevent the occurrence of the deadly disease in the hill state.

The necessary equipments have been provided to veterinary officers, required in detection of the deadly strain on very first stage, an animal husbandry department spokesman said.

Department is fully prepared to counter bird flu, as Veterinary Pharmacists had been earlier given training on prevention and control of the disease, he added.

Spokesman further said that as precautionary measure, about 4000 samples from various government and private poultry farms had been sent to High Security Disease Investigation Laboratory at Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh.

However, all were found negative for bird flu.

UNI XC AS JN MMS1654