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Chandigarh, January 20
Three samples from two Dera Bassi poultry farms have tested positive for bird flu strain H5N8. The Department of Animal Husbandry has started preparations for initiating a culling drive at the infected poultry farms tomorrow.
The National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases, Bhopal, has confirmed the presence of H5N8 virus strain in the samples.
H5N8 strain
It’s highly lethal for wild birds and poultry
Till date, no human case of H5N8 infection has been detected
The samples were from Alpha Poultry Farm having 55,000 birds and Royal Poultry Farm having 60,000 birds at Behra village in Dera Bassi. A sample taken from a dead crow at Balongi (Mohali) has also tested positive for H5N8 strain.
Mohali, January 15
The district administration here on Friday said a suspected case of bird flu from the area had been forwarded to the Northern Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Jalandhar from where it is being sent to the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases, Bhopal, for further investigation.
The officials said the final report is still awaited.
NRDDL, Jalandhar, Joint Director, Mohinder Pal Singh said, Samples from Alpha Poultry Farm (layer) with 55,000 livestock and Royal Poultry Farm (layer) with 60,000 livestock in Behra village of Dera Bassi have been found suspect and sent to the Bhopal laboratory for confirmation.