March 16, 2010

Bird flu still lingers in Nepal

It has been reported that there have been outbreaks of bird flu in different parts of Nepal.

Around 500 backyard birds have died in Jhyalbas and Deurali VDCs of Nawalparasi district in the past few weeks, according to reports.

Following the outbreak, a team of veterinarians led by senior officer at the Animal Health Directorate (AHD), Dr Narayan Prasad Ghimire, was sent to the VDCs for a stamping out operation following verbal orders from Dr Ram Krishna Khatiwada, the programme director, AHD.

Sources said the birds of local resident Bal Bahadur Bakwal (Magar) of Jhyalbas tested positive for H5N1 virus in the central veterinary laboratory, Tripureswor.

Earlier, the Central Regional Livestock Directorate (CRLD) has said the bird flu virus has not been found in the central region of Nepal till date, official news reported.

After the first outbreak of the disease in the country on January 16, the government had declared emergency in affected area of Sarnamati village in Jhapa district, eastern Nepal.