February 9, 2004

 

                       

Mass Poultry Deaths In India Raises Bird Flu Fears 

 

The deaths of more than 10,000 poultry in some villages in India's north-eastern state of Assam has raised fears of a bird flu outbreak in the country.

 

Local villagers panicked as the deaths of the chickens were reported from nearly 20 villages of Assam's Dhubri district bordering Bangladesh. However, the Indian authorities have been quick to dispel the bird flu rumours.

 

Dhubri's district commissioner, Prashanta Barua, said that the majority of village households in certain areas of the district had lost most of their poultry.

 

He said more than 10,000 poultry had died in these villages during the last 10 days.

 

Mr Barua said the birds would suddenly start to quiver and then die within a few hours.

 

Zakir Hussain, owner of a poultry farm in Charakura, said he has lost all his 300 birds to the mystery disease in the last six days.

 

Hazrat Ali, a rickshaw puller in Birsinghpara and owner of a small poultry farm, said all of his 200 birds had been lost to the mystery disease.

 

The Dhubri district authorities say they have asked the veterinary authorities to investigate the bird deaths.

 

District commissioner Prashanta Barua said it would not be correct to say at this stage that the bird deaths were caused by the deadly avian flu.

 

All of India's north-eastern states are on high alert because most of them have borders with Myanmar and China, where the bird flu has spread.