10,400 to be culled to contain virus

Wearing personal protective equipment kit, officials culled ducklings in farms across the backwater landscape of Nendoor, worst hit by the bird flu outbreak in Kottayam.

As many as 3,810 birds, including domestic birds and ducklings, in and around the farms where bird flu had been confirmed were culled by officials on Tuesday. Authorities have identified about 10,400 birds for culling to ensure the containment of virus.

A rapid response team, comprising 40 members, was divided into eight teams and they started operations around 8 a.m. The operations were jointly carried out by the Animal Husbandry, Health, and Local Self-Government Departments.

The culled ducklings were burned in a pit. Officials said the rapid response team members would be put in quarantine for 10 days.

The culling operation was launched after the authorities confirmed the presence of H5N8 virus in a duck farm here.

As per reports, about 2,720 of the 8,000 birds in the farm succumbed to the infection the other day.

District Collector M.Anjana said the culling operations would be completed in the next couple of days.

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