Maha: 17 birds found dead, avian flu tests on samples underway

Maharashtra reported deaths of 16 poultry birds and a crow on Sunday amid the avian influenza scare, an official said on Monday.

An official release said 16 poultry birds died in Jalgaon and samples had been sent to National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) in Bhopal and Disease Investigation Section in Pune for avian flu tests.

So far, 7,12,172 poultrybirds, including 5,78,360 from Navapur in Nandurbar district, were culled, while 26,03,728 eggs and 72,974 kilograms of poultry feed have been destroyed in infected zones, and farmers were paid Rs 45.40 lakh as compensation, the government release said.

To avoid the spread of infection, carcasses are put in a gunny sack and buried in a ditch lined with a layer of lime, it added.