Government confirms outbreak of bird flu in West Bengal's Nadia district

The centre today confirmed the outbreak of bird flu in poultry farms in at least two villages of Tehatta I block in Nadia district of West Bengal.

Public health authorities have ordered culling operations in the affected areas in an effort to contain the disease.

The outbreak of bird flu has been confirmed after samples forwarded to the Eastern Region Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (ERDDL), Kolkata and High Security Animal Disease Laboratory (HSADL), Bhopal have tested positive for H5 strain of avian influenza, an official release said today.

Besides culling of birds, the government has asked local authorities within a three km area of the affected villages to destroy all stocks of eggs and feed material to control further spread of the disease.

Authorities are also carrying out surveillance operations over a further 10 km area.

Also, health authorities are monitoring possible cases of incidence of the disease throughout the states and surrounding regions.