Monday, June 25, 2007

Bangladesh : Mass Poultry Culls Continue As H5N1 Outbreaks Spread

Some 78,000 more chickens have been culled in Bangladesh in the past week following confirmation that the virus had appeared in a 15th district.

The H5N1 avian influenza virus was detected outside the captial, Dhaka, in March. From Central Bangladesh, it has now spread quickly to the districts in the north of the country.

From the China Post :

The latest outbreak was reported from three farms in Lalmonirhat district, 400 km (250 miles) northwest of Dhaka, an official said.

"We have culled a huge number of chickens after the virus spread to the new district," said Khalilur Rahman Siddiqui, joint secretary, ministry of fisheries and livestock.

With the latest cull, about 250,000 chickens have now been slaughtered and more than 2.2 million eggs destroyed in 15 districts since March. There have been no reported cases of human infection.

About four million Bangladeshis are directly or indirectly associated with poultry farming.


No comments: