Delhi, June 20 (IANS). Bird flu cases were found in more than a dozen birds and animals at Nepal’s Central Zoo in the Kathmandu Valley. After this incident, Central Zoo has been closed indefinitely from Friday.
Different types of wildlife live in the zoo, which makes it beautiful. As such, this place is one of the major attractions for tourists, students and tourists visiting the valley.
Issuing a notice late on Friday night, Central Zoo officials said that the facility has been closed till further notice to protect the health and safety of the general public and visitors after the detection of avian influenza (bird flu) infection among birds and animals inside the zoo premises. The National Trust for Nature Conservation is responsible for the operation of the Central Zoo.
Although human-to-human spread of bird flu is rare, there have been cases where people who come into daily contact with infected birds have contracted the virus.
Central Zoo Information Officer Ganesh Koirala told news agency IANS that after the detection of bird flu, the zoo has been closed for disinfection. “The zoo is expected to remain closed for at least a week and may be extended depending on the threat,” he said.
According to him, more than a dozen animals, mostly birds, as well as some mammals such as the spotted jungle cat, cats and civets, have been found infected with the virus.
However, zoo officials, unlike poultry farms, have no plans to kill the birds on a large scale.
After the disease was first detected in East Morang district of Kosi province on March 18 this year, animals kept in the zoo were infected as the disease spread in the Kathmandu Valley in recent days.
According to the Department of Livestock Services, at least 55 poultry farms in 10 districts have since been affected, forcing officials to destroy a total of 479,156 birds and 694,193 eggs. Similarly, 182,775 kg of animal fodder was also destroyed.
“The disease appears to be under control in Morang district of Kosi region. However, the increasing number of affected farms in Kathmandu Valley shows that the disease is spreading and requires stronger bio-security, surveillance and intervention response,” the forest department said.
–IANS
KK/PM