June 30, 2009
Pakistan poultry farms hit badly by H9 virus
The onslaught of H9 virus has killed more than 30,000 poultry birds in Nowsheran Virkan tehsil, and adjacent area Qila Haddar Singh in district Gujranwala.
According to affected poultry farmers, samples of dead birds were sent to Islamabad for lab test which determined that the birds were afflicted by H9 virus.
In the Tehsil, more than four dozen poultry farms saw death of more than 35,000 birds whose carcass was thrown into irrigation water channels and sewer nullahs - in which residents fear the virus may spread to other birds consuming contaminated water.
Farmers said they already incurred a loss of two million rupees as they lost some 4,000 hens and chicks to the H9 virus.
Livestock district officer Ghulam Muhammad Gul said that there is no truth in the presence of bird flu virus in Nowshera Virkan and its suburb areas.
Ghulam said the department had collected samples from dead chicks for laboratory test but its analysis report confirmed that the death of chicks had not caused by bird flu.
