The Central Animal Health Laboratory of Directorate of Animal Health (DoAH) had confirmed the disease on Monday afternoon after examining some dead fowls. The office said that the team has also destroyed 150 eggs and 1,200 kg chicken feed stored at the farm.[break]
"We have completed the culling process. The team will complete the first phase of disinfection at the farm until Tuesday evening," said Bol Raj Acharya, chief of district veterinary office, said. He said that out of 2,200 chickens, others had already died due to disease.
According to Acharya, farm owner Karki suffered a heavy loss. "He told us that he had mortgaged his house to get loans to start the farm," said Acharya.
He said that the chickens at his farms were of layer type, which is costly compared to other types. Acharya said that he could not reap benefits from the chickens as they were only of nine months. Layer chickens start to lay eggs after six months and give eggs continuously for a year. The government provides only Rs 130 as compensation for each chicken culled. Acharya said that Karki himself had brought dead chickens at the laboratory after they started to die.
The DoAH urged all poultry farmers to take good care of their chickens. "We have intensified surveillance in nearby farms and other parts of the country, where disease had been reported recently," said Dr Bijayakant Jha, director general at DoAH.
Chickens avoiding feed, standing still with their head down and drooling are some of the symptoms of H5N1 virus infection, said Ghimire. DoAH has urged poultry farmers to immediately inform vet officials if chickens start to die.
Meanwhile, authorities at DoAH have said people can consume chicken and eggs without any hesitation. They claimed that all the infected chickens and eggs were destroyed and no infected chickens are in the market. The office has also appealed to locals to cook their chicken properly before eating and also to wash their hands properly with soap after touching chickens.
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