Jhapa. Around 85,000 chickens have perished in three districts of Koshi province following the outbreak of bird flu.

Senior Livestock Development Officer at the Directorate of Livestock and Fisheries Development Biratnagar, Dr Ganga Ram Yadav, said that chickens were culled in 22 commercial farms of three districts where the H5N1 virus infection was confirmed for the virus. Out of 14 districts in the province, bird flu has spread in Jhapa, Morang and Sunsari districts.

According to senior livestock development officer Dr Yadav, eight farms in Morang, two in Jhapa and 12 in Sunsari have been infected with bird flu. Seventy thousand layers, 7,000 boiler parents, 1,000 boilers, 4,000 chicks and 2,325 chickens were destroyed. Along with chickens, 57 ducks, 227,000 eggs and 28,000 kilogrammes of poultry feed were destroyed.

Senior Livestock Development Officer Dr Yadav said that the Directorate has banned the import and export of poultry products by adopting high alertness in the area surrounding the farm to prevent further spread of the virus. The Department has imposed a complete ban on the transportation of birds and bird products from the infected areas and has stepped up surveillance in other districts. The Directorate has urged people to remain vigilant as there is a risk of transmitting the H5N1 virus from birds to humans.