Bird flu spreads to Manipur

Close on the heels of an outbreak of avian influenza in Telangana, the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) on Thursday reported that the disease has affected poultry birds in Manipur as well.

The NIHSAD on Thursday said a dead chicken referred to it by the director of ICAR Research Complex in Imphal, Manipur, was found positive for H5N1 avian flu virus. The institute has suggested an action plan to contain and control the spread of the disease and has sought a detailed report from the state veterinary authorities

Since then the state government has carried out control and containment operation and the authorities have, on Thursday, issued sanitisation certificate for the epicentre.

During the operation, 20,874 birds were culled while 940 had died out of a population of 21,814 birds in a one km radius. The department has issued post-operation surveillance plan, which will be continued for a period of three months, an official release said.

Meanwhile, in Telangana, the control and containment operation at the epicenter is over and the state authorities have issued sanitisation certificate for the epicenter.

During the operation, 16,024 birds were culled while 41,040 had died out of a population of 2,01,264 birds in one km radius.

The state veterinary department has issued the post-sanitisation surveillance, which will be continued for a period of three months, the release added.