Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Nepal faces outbreak of H5N1 virus


    Nepal is facing an outbreak of the H5N1 avian influenza virus in Kathmandu, according to reports, with two separate farms affected so far.
    The first farm saw 2,500 chickens dead and 19,000 destroyed. The latest farm, confirmed to be contaminated on December 27, has had 2,240 chickens culled, 700 kilograms of chicken feed destroyed and 105 eggs destroyed, according to the Directorate of Animal Health. "Rapid response teams were mobilized immediately after confirmation of the virus," said Narayan Prasad Ghimire, senior veterinarian at the directorate.
    The first phase of disinfection has been completed, said Ghimire, and sample collection is ongoing. The two farms are the latest in an extended outbreak; 3,000 chickens were culled in mid-December at a farm in Dharke, Dhading, and the virus was also detected at a poultry farm at Bode, Bhaktapur in October.

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