3 more storks die of bird flu at Gwalior zoo, toll reaches 18

Three more painted storks died today at the zoo here, taking the number of birds suspected to have been killed by a new sub-type of bird flu to 18.
Three more birds are critical and may soon succumb, an official said.
With at least two samples of the 15 painted storks that died earlier this week testing positive for the subtype H5N8 at the Bhopal-based Animal Disease Laboratory recently, the state government has sounded an alert across the state, directing all 51 districts to immediately report any fowl mortality.
"We have sounded alert across the state. However, no fowl death has been reported from any part of state. Officers concerned are keeping a close watch," Madhya Pradesh Animal Husbandry Director Dr RK Rokde said.

Seeking to allay concerns over a possible bird flu outbreak, the officer said, "There is no need to panic as the death (of painted storks) due to H5N8 virus has taken place in the wild (zoo)."
Meanwhile, Gwalior Municipal Commissioner Anay Dwivedi told PTI that with today's deaths, only six painted storks were left in the zoo enclosure and three of them are in critical condition.

Citing veterinarians, he said the storks may die soon. "The rest (three storks) too appear to be sick and may succumb tomorrow," he said.
To a query on culling the birds, Dwivedi said they will take the call in this regard tomorrow, depending upon the situation.

The commissioner said they were burning the dead fowls and burring them deep underground.
"Three falcons which were in the enclosure along with the painted storks, have been quarantined and they will be closely monitored for a month. These falcons are healthy," the commissioner added.
On reopening the zoo, closed since the death of 15 painted storks, the officer said, "Possibly, we won't open it for this entire month (October)."
According to 2012 census, MP had a population of 119 lakh domestic fowls.
He said the state has 400-odd private poultry farms and nine government ones.
According to Rokde, a hen had died of bird flu in Burhanpur district of state in February this year.

Sources said that around 9,000 fowls had been culled in the radius of one km from the area where the hen had died.
Recently, the National Zoological Park in Delhi was shut down temporarily amid a bird flu scare following the death of some fowls.