Kathmandu, July 3: The Ministry of Health and Food Safety has urged everyone to maintain caution as the bird flu has spread to over 100 places across the country, including the Kathmandu Valley. The Ministry made aware one and all to stay safe from the infection by taking necessary precautions.
Joint spokesperson at the Ministry, Dr Samir Kumar Adhikari, asked all not to carry out work/activities that may lead to direct contact with infected, sick or dead birds.
He suggested cooking chicken and eggs properly before eating, and to inform the nearest livestock service if a dead bird is noticed.
According to the Livestock Services Department, bird flu infection has so far spread to 100 places of 11 districts.
Meanwhile, the Department of Livestock Services has urged everyone to report immediately to the nearest livestock service once they find unusually high number of sick or dead birds in poultry farms or sales.
Considering the current spread of bird flu and likelihood of further expansion with virus mutation, the Department called on all relevant agencies to remain vigilant in curbing the disease. Director general at the department, Umesh Dahal, advised poultry businesses to strictly implement bio-security measures in their farms.
This includes avoiding reuse of old paper crates for eggs and ensuring that any transportation vehicles entering the farm are thoroughly disinfected.
The Department further appealed to the public to keep poultry in cages to prevent domesticated birds and their feed from coming into contact with wild birds, such as crows.
Lately, the government bodies have culled nearly 700 thousand birds, and destroyed 1.1 million eggs, and 300 thousand kgs grains for chicken in the areas like Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Kavrepalanchok, Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Mahottari, Bara, Chitwan and Nawalparasi, which have been affected by bird flu.
Dahal also informed that the Department had established a bird flu infection control room led by the deputy director general to take under control the outbreak on time. Necessary personnel are being deployed in collaboration with federal, provincial and local authorities in the affected regions.
