More than 19000 chicken and 13,300emu birds are to be culled at the Central Poultry DevelopmentOrganisation at Hesaraghtta here, where avian influenza (H5N1)had claimed over 3,600 turkeys over the last fortnight, a topofficial said today.
As many as 120 chicken died yesterday and 86 chickenand 17 ducks on Saturday, Animal Husbandry SecretaryArvind Ramachandra Jannu told PTI.
"All these dead birds were disposed as per theGovernment of India Action Plan. To know the cause of death,samples were collected from chicken and ducks and submitted toHSADL (High Security Animal Disease Laboratory), Bhopal andthe report is awaited," Jannu said.
The central government had notified the outbreak ofhighly pathogenic avian influenza in turkeys at CPDO onOctober 25. Action has been initiated for control anderadication of avian influenza, he said.
Sanitisation activity in the turkey unit has startedand till yesterday one shed was sanitised. Remaining shedswould be sanitised in coming days and disinfection procedureswill be followed. Yesterday, 78 officers and staff wereinvolved in the activity.
Sixtyeight villages in the 10 km radius from theturkey unit of CPDO had been identified as a surveillance zoneand disease surveillance process has been activated. Serum andcloacal samples have been collected and submitted forlaboratory investigation, he said.
"There is no report of unusual mortality among the poultryand birds in the surveillance zone," Jannu said.
"Necessary direction has been issued to the authorityconcerned to close a school, located in CPDO, for 15 days," headded.