Tripura sounds alert on bird flu

Agartala, Feb 19 (PTI) An alert has been sounded inTripura after the outbreak of bird flu in a state-ownedpoultry at R K Nagar near here, officials today said.

"The Tripura government has sounded an alert in thestate following outbreak of avian influenza in R K Nagar farm(about 6 km from here) and about 3,000 ducks and chicken wereculled there yesterday," Principal Secretary of AnimalResource Development department Sriram Taranikant toldreporters.

He said a team of experts is in the state to overseethe process of culling and preventive measures being taken tocontain its spread.

Taranikant said that as preventive measures poultryand egg markets within 10 km radius of the R K Nagar farm wereclosed, restrictions imposed on the movement of personnelworking in the farm, strict surveillance was being maintainedin the farm and adjacent areas and the entire area beingsanitised.

He said culling of chickens continued today inadjacent areas of the farm.

Following instructions from the Central expert team,the state government decided to cull poultry birds within 3 kmradius of the infected farm.