Bird flu continues to spread in Nepal

Two new outbreaks of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) have been reported in Nepal.

The veterinary authority sent Follow Up Report No. 2 dated March 28 to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).

It reports two new cases of HPAI. One of these was in a mixed village flock of 123 backyard chickens, ducks and pigeons in Tikapur municipality in the region of Seti. Starting on March 2, 40 of the birds died and the remaining birds were destroyed.

The second outbreak started six days later, on March 8, at Deurali VDC ward No 6 in the Lumbini region. In a similar mixed flock of 4,767 birds, 216 died and the rest were destroyed.

The presence of the H5N1 sub-type of the virus has been confirmed.