Massive bird flu hits three Koshi districts

By Hari Prasad Koirala,Urlabari, Mar. 28: The recent outbreak of bird flu in Jhapa, Morang, and Sunsari districts over the past two weeks has caused the biggest loss ever recorded for farmers in the poultry sector.

According to Dr. Deepa Diwali, Senior Veterinary Officer at the Livestock Division under the Ministry of Industry, Agriculture, and Cooperatives of Koshi Province, bird flu infection has been confirmed in six farms in Morang, eight in Sunsari, and two in Jhapa so far. 

In Sunsari alone, the disease has been confirmed in eight farms. However, by Wednesday, chickens, eggs, feed, local chickens, ducks, and empty crates from a total of 12 farms had already been destroyed. 

By Thursday evening, poultry in four more farms—three in Sunsari and one in Jhapa—had also been destroyed.

According to Dr. Diwali, 550 broiler chickens, 59,667 layer chickens, 7,300 parent chickens, 726 local breed chickens, seven ducks, and 122,480 eggs have been destroyed by Wednesday evening. 

Similarly, 24,238 kg of fodder and 7,750 empty cartons have been destroyed.  He said that control measures have been adopted to prevent further damage. 

To control the infection, the sale and distribution of chicken and eggs has been banned in the affected areas, he said. 

Similarly, the import and export of poultry products have also been tightened. As the infection may have spread through vehicles transporting eggs and feed, such vehicles have been urged not to operate. Dr. Diwali said that this year has seen the largest bird flu outbreak in the past 2–3 years. 

The infection, which was initially low pathogenic, has now transformed into highly pathogenic bird flu. Although a rapid response team has been deployed to control the outbreak, preventing its spread has become challenging. 

Illegal transportation of poultry has been identified as a major cause of transmission. Authorities have urged that poultry should not be transported without a veterinary certificate.

The infection, which was initially low pathogenic, has now transformed into a highly pathogenic bird flu. Although a rapid response team has been mobilised to control the infection, it has become challenging to stop the spread of the disease.

Illegal transportation of chickens is said to be the main reason for the spread of the infection. The administration has urged people not to transport chickens without a veterinary certificate.

Farmers have been instructed to strictly adopt biosecurity in the farm, control the entry of outsiders, and immediately inform them if suspicious symptoms are seen.

According to Dr. Dev Kumar Darlami, Veterinary Officer and Information Officer of the Ministry’s Livestock Division deployed in Jhapa, bird flu has been confirmed in two farms in Damak-10, Jhapa. 

He said that 13,000 layer chickens have already been destroyed in one farm, and on Thursday, the ministry’s technical team reached the other farm and destroyed 1,500 layer chickens and 37,800 eggs.

According to Dr. Manoj Kumar Mehta, Chief of the Veterinary Hospital and Livestock Service Expert Centre, on Thursday, 485 broiler chickens, 3,730 layer chickens, 4,200 eggs, 60,000 hatching eggs, and 3,700 chicks were destroyed from three farms in Sunsari.

The infection, which started in Sundarharaicha and Urlabari in Morang, has spread through Damak in Jhapa to Itahari in Sunsari. The impact of bird flu has caused significant economic losses in the poultry business. 

Farmers are facing severe hardships as the outbreak occurred during the peak production and sales period. Bird flu was first detected in Nepal in January 2009 in Kakarbhitta, Jhapa. Since then, it has appeared sporadically, but this year it has spread widely.

Although the government has made arrangements to compensate farmers affected by the infection, farmers have expressed concern that the process will be delayed.