More than 40,000 commercial ducks and chickens have been culled in Kavre district following a severe outbreak of bird flu in several poultry farms.
Bird Flu Outbreak in Kavre
Over 40,000 ducks and chickens have been destroyed in Kavre district after bird flu infection spread. The District Animal Services Office in Dhulikhel reported that 40,729 ducks and layers chickens raised for commercial purposes were culled after chickens started dying rapidly since a few weeks.
Senior veterinarian Dr. Bajra Kishor Thakur from the office shared that bird flu was detected in poultry farms located in Banepa Municipality ward number 6 and 13, as well as Panauti Municipality ward number 7, 8, and 9. According to him, the initial findings suggest that the disease spread further through crows and other wild birds because people threw dead chickens and ducks in rivers, bushes, and open spaces.
Efforts to Control and Challenges
Dr. Thakur said that the office has speeded up testing, management, and transport control to stop the infection. However, the infection rate increased because local and provincial governments could not take timely actions due to delay in getting lab test results from central level.
He also stressed on implementing strict biosecurity standards in commercial poultry farms. He urged farmers to prevent unnecessary people to enter poultry cages. If anyone must enter, they should use safety measures, clean cages and equipment regularly, and follow complete hygiene rules while transporting chickens.
The authorities have also tightened monitoring and control of illegal and untested poultry transport at Nala, Roshi, and Khawa checkposts. Earlier in Chaitra, a decision was made to adopt high alertness to prevent the risk of bird flu in Kavre and Sindhupalchok. The security measures were tightened in these two districts after bird flu cases were spotted in other parts of country.
AI Disclaimer: This article was originally published on https://bajarkochirfar.com. It has been translated with the help of AI. For the best understanding and accurate facts, we recommend reading the original Nepali version.
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