|
- By Parinda News Bureau, February 27, 2006, 12:58 IST
Surat: Traces of bird flu have been detected in Gujarat with two confirmed cases found among the samples from a poultry farm in Uchchal taluka of Surat district, prompting the state government to intensify operations to check its spread, even as the Centre on Saturday downplayed reports of fresh incidence of birdflu in poultry at Uchhal, saying it should not be seen as a new case as the place falls within the already affected 2-3 km radius of Navapur in neighbouring Maharashtra.
"There is absolutely no need to panic, as Uchhal falls in the infected zone of Navapur. It should not be seen as a separate incident as two areas are adjoining," Animal Husbandry Secretary P M A Hakeem said.
The Gujarat government has intensified its drive following the test results and have resumed culling of chicken as well as vaccinating people connected with the poultry industry and disinfecting the areas.
"Culling operations have resumed in an around Uchchal and interior villages.
Two samples of poultry chicken taken from a farm in Uchchal have tested positive for the avian bird flu. The tests were conducted at the Bhopal laboratory on 13 samples," state secretary of chow breeding and protection D K Rao said. The samples were taken from Timoli farm and were sent on February 13 to the laboratory in Bhopal and the Union government gave the results on Friday. He stressed that the poultry' chicken, whose samples tested positive for the avian flu, were among the first lot that were culled.
"Culling has resumed in a radius of 10 km from Uchchal and we are focusing on these areas. More then 19,000 chicken will be culled today itself. Disinfecting operations are already underway and it will be intensified", Rao said.
|
