All Chandigarh samples test -ve for bird flu

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 6

There is no need to fear as all 88 samples collected from different parts of the city have tested negative for bird flu.

‘No need to worry’

As a preventive measure, we will be sending samples regularly to the Bhopal institute for examination. A set of around 50 samples randomly collected from different places will be sent for testing on December 10 and another set on December 25. There is no need to fear and we are keeping a close watch on every situation. — Kanwarjit Singh, Joint Director, Department of Animal Husbandry, UT

To prevent any type of ingression of bird flu in the city, the Department of Animal Husbandry collected 48 environmental and serum samples from Sukhna Lake, Meat Market, Sector 21, Dhanas, poultry farms, backyard poultry, etc, on November 1 and sent these to the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal for testing. After a fortnight, the department collected 40 more random samples from different locations of the city and sent these to the Bhopal institute.

“All 88 samples have tested negative for highly pathogenic avian influenza,” said Kanwarjit Singh, Joint Director, Department of Animal Husbandry, UT.

As a preventive measure, they would be sending samples regularly to the Bhopal institute for examination, he said, adding that a set of around 50 samples randomly collected from different places would be sent on December 10 and another set on December 25. There was no need to fear and they were keeping a close watch on every situation.

He said the department had started active physical and sera surveillance of all type of birds, which include commercial, poultry, backyard poultry and in particular migratory birds. The migratory birds have started arriving in Chandigarh and these birds usually stay here till February. These birds play an important role in transmission of avian influenza virus. The department had activated its surveillance at Sukhna Lake, which had major/potential area of migratory birds in Chandigarh during the winter season.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.