February 17, 2012

Pakistan remains bird flu free

A detailed investigation has asserted that no bird flu virus involvement was recorded and Pakistan still stands free from bird flu.

The Scientific authorities at the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC)'s National Reference Laboratory for Poultry Diseases (NRLPD) located at the National Agriculture Research Center (NARC), Islamabad has carried out detailed investigation in collaboration with Livestock and Dairy Development Department and Wildlife Department, Punjab on reports appeared in the national press during the past two weeks regarding high mortality in peacocks at Lahore and Rawalpindi Zoo that linking to bird flu outbreak.

However, the necropsy finding and lab reports indicated the involvement of New Castle Disease ("Rani Khait") in the reported mortality in peacocks, which is a common viral disease of poultry and may affect on non-vaccinated birds.

The authorities on the subject at PARC also informed that the National Reference Lab for Poultry Disease at NARC is the coordinating federal lab for avian influenza surveillance throughout the country where in 10 provincial labs of livestock department are engaged in surveillance against avian influenza (H5N1) since 2004.

Further, since July 2008 no new case of bird flu (H5N1) has been reported from anywhere in the country.