KATHMANDU, Nepal– The Animal Health Directorate (AHD) declared that Nepal is free of H5N1 avian influenza, also known as bird flu.
The declaration was made after the samples taken from the influenza hit districts returned negative. The government has also notified World Organization for Animal Health about the recent declaration.
After accomplishing the closing off, slaughtering of infected chickens, and sealing of the infected farm in the bird flu hit areas where the avian flu outbreak was reported to stop further spread of the virus, animal health officials carried out intense surveillance within the 7-km range of the infected areas.
Bijay Kanta Jha, programme director at AHD claimed that a country can declare itself free from bird flu if there is no detection of the disease for more than 42 days following the last outbreak.
The capital Kathmandu along with adjoining districts: Dhading, Kavree, Makwanpur, Chitwan, among other were affected by avian flu outbreak between mid-July and mid-September last year.
Government has put down 1.80 million of chickens and roosters in these districts. Likewise, over 2 million eggs, 140,000 kg feed and 1,400 kg meat was destroyed in the district.