Over 150 birds culled after being detected with bird flu

As many as 159 birds, mostly Guinea Fowls, kept at an animal care centre in Memnagar area in the heart of the city, have been culled after some of them, brought here recently, were found to be infected with avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu.
After the culling operation carried out last night at the centre run by 'Sarva Dharma Rakshak Seva Trust', city police issued a notification today declaring the one-km area surrounding the centre as 'Affected Zone' while 10-km area has been declared as 'Alert Zone'.
"A team of Animal Husbandry department culled 159 birds, mostly Guinea Fowls and some ducks, at the rescue centre in Memnagar area last night. Culling was done after samples of some Guinea Fowls tested positive for H5N1 avian influenza virus," said an official of district bird flu control room.

To stop the bird flu from spreading, City Commissioner of Police A K Singh issued a notification declaring 10-km area surrounding the centre as 'Alert Zone' while one-km area has been declared as 'Affected Zone'.
With this order, people are barred from taking out any birds, eggs or any machinery outside the farm. In addition, people are prohibited from going inside the farm. Police have also banned the sale and consumption of poultry products in 10-km area.
On January 4, over 1,400 birds kept at a rescue centre run by Asha Foundation in Hathijan area on the outskirts of the city, were culled after authorities found symptoms of bird flu in 7 Guinea Fowls, which had died under mysterious circumstances.

Earlier on January 2, residents living near Vastral area caught a truck driver when he was off-loading over 800 Guinea Fowls near SP Ring Road. While 700 of these poultry birds were taken to Asha Foundation, around 150 were sent to Memnagar based rescue centre.