Govt says high alert being exercised to prevent bird flu

As the news of bird flu affecting chicken in bordering areas of India have come, Nepal government has said that it is exercising high alert to prevent the disease from entering into the country.

“Bird Flu disease has not yet been detected in Nepal. But since this disease has frequently and currently hit the provinces bordering our country, we cannot remain certain that the disease will not come here,” states a joint press release by the Ministry of Health and Population and Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives.

The release states that the government has decided to dispatch expert teams to districts and also carry out campaigns to raise public awareness about this disease.

“Since this disease is transmitted from sick birds to people, one can be safe by avoiding contacts with sick birds like chicken, parrots, pigeons,” it states.

Meanwhile, the government has started stocking up necessary medicines and equipment to deal with any untoward situation, particularly in Ilam and Jhapa districts which border the affected Indian region.

“In high-risk districts like Ilam and Jhapa, stocks are adequate at district level. In other districts, we are dispatching them from Biratnagar,” said Dr. Manas Banerjee, chief of Avian Influenza Control Project. nepalnews.com sd Jan 29 08

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