Manipur hit by bird flu, culling of poultry begins

Culling and burial of poultry livestock has begun in Manipur following an outbreak of bird flu or Avian Influenza.

The state government officially confirmed the outbreak of the flu through a notification issued on Sunday, and said some poultry birds in the Imphal branch of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) had shown symptoms of Avian Influenza.

The National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal has confirmed the outbreak of Avian Influenza at the poultry unit of ICAR, Lamphelpat.

Manipur's Chief Secretary P C Lawmkunga said the epicenter of the outbreak was the poultry unit of ICAR and added that all areas within a radius of 10 kilometres have been declared as infected and surveillance zones.

Fowl owners would be adequately compensated for their losses, he stated further.

In addition to the culling of the birds, huge quantities of eggs and feed material are also being destroyed as a precautionary measure, he said.