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Thursday, January 5, 2012

Bhutan : Bird flu possibly wiped out Chukha poultry farm

Via Kuensel Online, excerpt :

" The national centre for animal health in Serbithang, Thimphu, is suspecting a bird flu or H5NI outbreak as the cause of death of all the 87 birds in a private poultry farm in Chukha.

The birds, in the farm in Bjacho gewog, died between December 30 and 31.

Dr Tashi Dorji from the livestock division of the centre said polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machine proved that the birds died because of H5N1. However, a team from the livestock division and Bhutan agriculture food regulatory authority (BAFRA) are still investigating the detail source of infection.

The disease, Dr Tashi Dorji said, is under control and no people or other poultry farms were affected.

“We’re still doing the investigation and surveying neighbouring villages,” Dr Tashi Dorji said.

“Continued surveillance is also being done, since the ban on poultry import, three months back.”

 A team compromising officials from BAFRA, livestock department, health and police are carrying out the investigation.

Doctor Tashi Dorji said the fatal death of birds is a major and an emergency disaster, where, if it communicates to human, 60 percent of disease would result in death.

All the 87 birds were scientifically disposed off and prevented from being spread The outbreak was restricted to only one farm belonging to a farmer, Lhamo, who reported the deaths to livestock officials in Chukha.

According to Lhamo, the first two birds died on the morning of December 30, after showing symptoms like dropping head, slight outflow of fluid from the mouth, anus and diarrhoea."

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