Chitwan, March 25

Chitwan has been on high alert against bird flu, after the disease was detected among chickens in many places across the country.

Chief of the National Bird Disease Research Laboratory Bharatpur Dr Dayaram Chapagain said they had been on high alert after bird flu was detected in Kaski and Sunsari districts.

Chapagain said 10 samples of chickens suspected of flu had been sent to Kathmandu for test. He said that the H1N1 strand of virus, which is more dangerous than H9N2, had not been detected in the district till date.

Chief of the District Livestock Service Office Chitwan Dr Dilliram Sedhai said vehicles carrying poultry-related items were sprayed with medicine while entering and exiting the district to prevent bird flu from entering the district.

According to Sedhai, his office is in constant discussion with various organisations associated with poultry. Sedhai said the risk of bird flu with their tough security measures was very low.

He said his office had urged poultry associations to spread awareness among people and to take strong measures against the flu.

Central Chairperson of the Egg Producers’ Association Shivram KC said that they had paid special attention to biological security in their firms. KC claimed that bird flu would not strike the district as even small farmers were made aware about biological security. Poultry entrepreneurs had incurred a heavy loss due to bird flu four years ago in the district.