Health Ministry urges precautions as bird flu spreads to over 100 locations

KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Health and Food Safety has urged the public to take precautions after bird flu spread to more than 100 locations across the country, including the Kathmandu Valley.

The Department of Livestock Services reported the infection in 100 locations across 11 districts and said authorities have culled nearly 700,000 birds and destroyed about 1.1 million eggs and 300,000 kg of chicken feed in affected areas, including Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Kavrepalanchok, Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Mahottari, Bara, Chitwan and Nawalparasi.

Joint Spokesperson and Senior Health Administrator at the ministry, Dr Sameer Kumar Adhikari, warned against activities that could lead to direct contact with infected, sick or dead birds. He advised that chicken and eggs be cooked thoroughly before consumption and asked people to notify the nearest livestock service if they find a dead bird.

The department urged residents to report any unusually high numbers of sick or dead birds at poultry farms or markets immediately.

Director General at the Department of Livestock Services, Umesh Dahal told poultry businesses to implement strict biosecurity measures on farms, including avoiding reuse of old paper egg crates and ensuring that vehicles entering farms are properly disinfected. The department also urged the public to keep poultry in cages to prevent contact between domesticated birds and wild birds such as crows.

The Department has set up a bird flu infection control room led by the Deputy Director General and said personnel are being deployed in coordination with federal, provincial and local authorities to contain the outbreak.

(With input from RSS)