Friday, February 4, 2011

Bangladesh-Crows dying, poultry culled

Friday, February 4, 2011

Fear of fresh round of bird flu grips Barisal, Kishoreganj

A few of the several hundred crows that met sudden death due to unknown diseases in and around Barisal city during the last two days, right, workers of Kishoreganj district livestock office culling bird flu infected hens at Bogadia village in Sadar upazila yesterday. Photo: STAR

Barisal city and adjoining areas saw sudden death of a large number of crows in last two or three days while authorities destroyed at least seven thousand bird flu infected hens in Kishoreganj Sadar upazila yesterday.

Hundreds of crows that died at Girzamahalla, Medical College area, Sadar Road, Bells Park and Kirtonkhola riverbank areas in Barisal city during last two or three days are rotting in the open, reports our correspondent.

The crows were seen falling from trees and dying after a while, witnesses said.

Abdul Jabbar, Barisal district livestock officer, said their staffs are collecting samples for laboratory tests in Barisal and Dhaka to detect the disease that caused the massive deaths of crows.

“The crows may have died after eating some infected items,” said Dr Md Shawkat Ali, principal officer of Regional Livestock Disease Investigation Laboratory in Barisal.

During the last few days, similar incidents have been reported from Patuakhali and Bhola towns. After laboratory test of the samples of dead crows sent from Patuakhali, no virus of avian influenza was found. The crows died due to eating of dead chickens infected with 'ranikhet' disease, not avian influenza,” he said.

Although he advised locals to bury the dead crows, the situation has raised a fear of fresh round of bird flu among them.

Livestock officials urged people to remain watchful of the situation and inform local livestock officials if unusual deaths of crows is seen anywhere.

Our Kishoreganj correspondent adds: District livestock officials destroyed around 7,000 avian influenza (bird flu) infected hens of Bhai Bhai Farm owned by Muzammel Huq at Bogadia village in Kishoreganj Sadar upazila yesterday.

Informed that some hens of the farm died of unknown diseases during the last few days, Dr Bahadur Ali, veterinary surgeon of district livestock office, visited the spot.

After primary examination of some collected samples, he detected those as affected by bird flu.

The report was sent to Dhaka central office from where a letter confirming the case as bird flu came on Wednesday night.

District Livestock Officer Nousad Hossain in presence of administration officers and police personnel arranged destroying the hens of the farm yesterday morning.

Farm owner Muzammel said the price of the hens would be around Tk 14 lakh.

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