The move of the DoAH comes following seven bird flu outbreaks in the capital in the last 10 days.
Officials at DoAH said that the bird flu virus has been constantly changing its nature. The DoAH said that the virus has changed its form thrice since the first outbreak in 2009. The office is particularly suspicious about the nature of virus that has been spreading rampantly in the valley´s poultry farms.[break]
"We have sent samples of bird flu virus to a London-based laboratory," Dr Bijaya Kanta Jha, executive director at DoAH, said. He said that the rapid response teams comprising vet technicians have culled more than 22,000 chickens in seven poultry farms of capital in the last 10 days.
The office said that the disease was detected in poultry farms of Matatirtha, Naubise, Seuchatar, Chhauni, and Gothatar, Kathmandu. Over 12,000 chickens were culled in Chhauni´s poultry farm.
The vet doctors say avian flu (H5N1) virus mostly spread in winter season, but in Nepal the virus has been spreading even in summer. "We suspect that the virus might have changed its pattern," Dr Jha said. The DoAH said that poultry farmers across the country have suffered heavy losses due to the spread of disease.
"Instead of focusing on other agriculture development work, we are busy culling chickens," said Bola Raj Acharya, chief of the District Veterinary Office, Kathmandu. He said that due to the loss inflicted by the bird flu virus, more poultry farmers have been giving up the profession. Despite the spread of disease, price of chicken has not lessened in the market.
The office said that the supply of chickens in the market has gone down, therefore, the price has not decreased. Acharya said that more poultry farmers would give up the profession if the government does not initiate steps to retain them in the business.
Acharya asked the farmers to apply bio-security in their farms, which means not to transport dead chickens to other farms and prevent contact with wild birds and others.
Related story
Nepali movie 'Hori' selected at Torino Film Lab
