Bird flu on the rise in Kathmandu: Infection confirmed in 82 locations of 11 districts

Lalitpur, June 28

Bird flu cases are on the rise in Kathmandu, with infections confirmed in 82 locations across eleven districts of the country. According to the Department of Livestock Services, the bird flu (H-5N-1) outbreak has been spreading rapidly in the Kathmandu Valley over the past three months. The Department has taken special precautions in the affected areas to help control the disease.

The first case of bird flu was reported in Morang in March earlier this year, and since then, the infection has spread to Jhapa, Sunsari, Mahottari, Bara, Chitwan, Nawalparasi, Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur, and Kavrepalanchok. Dr Umesh Dahal, the Director General of the Department, stated that so far, a total of 569,858 birds have been culled to manage the outbreak.

Additionally, 989,313 eggs and 1,954.85 quintals of feed have also been destroyed. To tackle the situation, the Department has set up a ‘Bird Flu Disease Control Room’ led by the Deputy Director General and has dispatched a technical team to the affected areas, working closely with federal, provincial, and local authorities.

The Department reports that the infection has been brought under control in several areas, including in Bara, Mahottari, Chitwan, and Nawalparasi, as well as in Jhapa, Morang, and Sunsari of Koshi province. However, Dr Dahal noted that vigilance remains high in parts of Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, and Kavrepalanchok, where the infection is still present. Meanwhile, the Department has also begun gene sequencing of the virus in collaboration with the National Public Health Laboratory to check for any genetic mutations in the infected strain.

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