Gopal Rai assures all precautions to counter avian influenza at Delhi Zoo

Delhi's Development Minister of Delhi Gopal Rai on Wednesday said all precautionary measures are being taken to end the threat of avian flu at Delhi Zoo.

Rai said, "This matter is not just of the zoo. If the flu will spread, it will spread in whole Delhi. So, the precautionary actions will be taken keeping Delhi in mind."

Zoo Director Amitabh Agnihotri, said, "The virus found in the birds is called Avian influenza and it has been named as H5 which is confirmed when we tested the birds. It is discovered in the free ranging birds. And, we are doing the surveillance of the zoo with the local husbandry department."

"The issue was detected last Friday and Saturday in which a total of nine birds died including rosy pelicans, painted storks and ducks. We sent the samples to Jalandhar and Bhopal and few birds were detected with influenza and since then there have been no deaths," Riyaz Khan, PRO of the zoo told media here.

However as a cautionary method, all visits from the zoo have been curtailed for a few days until the entire area sanitized.

At least nine birds, including ducks and pelicans, were found dead this week, forcing zoo authorities to close the zoo to visitors on Tuesday and send samples for testing to labs in Jalandhar and Bhopal.