Bird flu confirmed in Jehanabad: Official

After Munger and Banka, outbreak of bird flu has been confirmed in this central Bihar district with samples of crows found dead here testing positive for the H5N1 virus, an official said on Monday.

However, no humans have been found to be afflicted with the disease in any part of the state so far.

According to Civil Surgeon, Dilip Kumar, more than a dozen crows were found dead inside the collectorate premises here on February 1, following which samples of two dead birds were sent for testing at a lab in Bhopal.

"The samples tested positive following which we have directed the animal husbandry department to collect samples from poultry farms and send these to Bhopal to ascertain whether the virus has afflicted other birds, he said.

"As a preventive measure, bleaching powder is being sprayed at various places including the collectorate. An isolation ward has been set up at the Sadar hospital which would be manned by a team of medical professionals equipped to conduct tests on any person complaining of symptoms related to bird flu, he added.

Moreover, adequate supply of medicines for treating avian influenza has been ensured at the Sadar hospital, he added.

The outbreak of bird flu was first confirmed in the last week of December in Munger district following which thousands of birds were culled as a preventive measure in the affected villages.

Later, the virus was found to have afflicted birds in the adjoining Banka district leading to culling of birds there also.

A couple of dead peacocks were also found to be afflicted with the virus at the Patna zoo which has been shut since Christmas as sanitisation of the sprawling campus and collection of samples for testing at the National Institute for High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal is underway.