Thaindian News

Shillong, Jan 13 (IANS) Authorities have begun mopping up and sanitisation operations in bird flu-hit Williamnagar in western Meghalaya as they continued culling domesticated fowls there, an official said Friday.

“We have started mopping up and sanitisation operation on the Williamnagar farm - the epicentre of H5N1 virus - after 560 birds were culled on the farm,” said Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Director D. Lyngwa .

Altogether, 1,042 birds, including 480 domesticated fowls, have been culled till Friday evening within the three-km radius of the government-run farm at Williamnagar, Lyngwa told IANS.

He said a 13-member rapid response team is conducting the culling and mopping up operation at Williamnagar, the district headquarters of East Garo Hills.

“The culling of birds in villages within the three-km radius of the farm would continue to ensure there is no further spread of H5N1 virus in the district,” Lyngwa said.

The government had recently sent samples to the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory (HSADL) in Bhopal after more than 3,000 birds died in the past few weeks at the farm in Williamnagar.

Lyngwa said the government would pay compensation to the owners of the culled fowls as per the guidelines of the central government.

Though there has been no report of the infection spreading to humans, the health and family welfare department rushed a micro-biologist and a pathologist to Williamnagar.

“A team of specialists is stationed at Williamnagar to monitor human health in view of the birds testing positive for H5N1. The government will provide all necessary medicines,” said state medical chief A.C. Hazarika.

The government has asked all districts to monitor the health of all poultry. The movement and sale of poultry and poultry products from the affected area has been stopped.