Bird flu confirmed in Delhi, all 8 samples sent to Bhopal lab test positive

Delhi on Monday confirmed bird flu cases after eight samples sent to a laboratory tested positive for avian influenza

Delhi on Monday confirmed bird flu cases after eight samples sent to a Bhopal-based laboratory tested positive for avian influenza.

All eight samples -- four from a park in Mayur Vihar Phase 3, three from Sanjay Lake and one from Dwarka -- have been found positive for avian influenza, Dr Rakesh Singh from the animal husbandry unit of the Development Department said.

The report of the test results arrived on Monday morning, he said.

A drive to cull ducks has begun at the famous Sanjay Lake, where several ducks were found dead in the last few days, Singh added.

Seventeen more ducks were found dead at Sanjay Lake on Sunday, prompting authorities to declare it an "alert zone", DDA officials had said.

Besides, the officials said, 91 crows have been found dead in 14 DDA parks in the last couple of days.

A few days ago, around 50 crows were found dead in Central Park, Mayur Vihar Phase 3, officials had said.

Some samples were also sent to a lab in Jalandhar. Their results are awaited, Singh said.

Three other recreational parks in Delhi -- Hauz Khas Park, Dwarka Sector 9 Park, Hastsal Park -- were closed on Saturday.

Barring Hastsal Park and Sanjay Lake, other parks were reopened after disinfection on Sunday, the officials said.

Hauz Khas Park in south Delhi has a huge water body and attracts a large crowd every day. However, no death of birds has been reported there.

The poultry market in Ghazipur has also been shut down temporarily.