Bird flu virus has resurfaced in two blocks of West Bengal’s Murshidabad district, prompting authorities to take up culling operations. Culling starts in Raghunathganj-ii and Jiaganj blocks of Murshidabad districts.
After samples from Raghunathganj-II and Jiaganj blocks of Murshidabad districts testing positive as per update submitted on 7th March 2008, there are no further report from the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory, Bhopal of any sample testing positive from any part of the country, including West Bengal.
Culling in a radius of five kilometers around the two new foci of infection has already commenced today i.e. 10th March 2008. While 22,440 birds are to be culled in Raghunathganj-II, the culling target in respect of Jiaganj is 27,200 birds. A total of 20 RRTs have been deployed in each of the two blocks.
No unusual mortality was reported in West Bengal on 9th March, 2008.
As per the latest report received from the Government of West Bengal, the cumulative figure of poultry culled in the state up to 9th March 2008 is 40.03 lakh. The cumulative figures of eggs and feed destroyed till the said date are 14,91,307 and 80,033 kg respectively.
Source: Press Information Bureau, India