May 28, 2007

Poultry farms in India's Calcutta closed after mysterious deaths

Authorities closed down a poultry farm in eastern India after hundreds of chickens died.

Samples have been sent to a federal laboratory to test for bird flu, a top official said Friday.

Preliminary tests indicated the chickens may have died from Newcastle disease, a highly contagious respiratory virus, said Dilip Das, director of the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services.

Samples have been sent to India's High Risk Animal Disease Laboratory in the central Indian city of Bhopal for a final determination, Das said.

The chicken farm is located on the outskirts of Calcutta, capital of West Bengal state.

Bird flu outbreaks in India caused the slaughter of thousands of chickens and farmers incurred millions in lost sales as a result of consumer fears generated by the outbreak.

Earlier this month, the deaths of more than 2,500 chickens at a poultry farm in north Bengal, was attributed to Newcastle disease.