Bird flu :Culling process to end on Dec 19

Guwahati, Dec 19: The process of poultry in the bird flu affected areas in Assam is expected to be completed on Friday Dec 19. Bird flu has been identified in seven districts in 12 locations of the State.

Except few areas of Kharghuli, Sirang and Bongaigaon districts, culling has been completed in all other locations, according to State Director of veterinary Dr Aswani Katoky. To prevent the relapse of the bird flu a strict surveillance would be kept for next three months in the affected districts. Around 450 thousand poultry birds have culled so far in the state. No fresh report of spread of the disease has been received from anywhere in the State.

After the virus was detected in poultry last month in a village close to Guwahati, Veterinary officials have culled over 300,000 chicken and ducks.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has described the outbreak of bird flu in West Bengal last Jan, when more than four million birds were culled, as the worst ever in India.

ANI