The local authorities of bordering districts in eastern Nepal have more tightened surveillance after bird flu was detected in chicken in Mechinagar Municipality of Jhapa district, some 320 km southeast of Nepali capital Kathmandu, Xinhua reported. Specialist teams have started culling chicken and other birds and destroying poultry production in Mechinagar, which has been declared bird flu risk zone by government on Friday. An expert team led by Dr. Ram Krishna Khatiwada, head of Bird Flu Control Project, had already reached the affected area from Kathmandu and has begun his work, local news website Nepalnews reported on Sunday. Three kilometers periphery of the customs office in Mechinagar has been declared bird flu risk zone. The local administration of Jhapa has reported as saying more than 13,000 birds will be culled and safely disposed in Mechinagarand surrounding areas. Apart from culling birds and destroying poultry products, tools used in poultry firms will be sterilized, reports quoting local authorities said. Around 350 poultry firms in the area are now under bird flu surveillance while the import of birds from bordering India has been tightly controlled, reports quoting local officials said.
