# 2504
The culling operation in Assam continues, and is proving to involve more birds and to be taking longer than originally estimated.
Already 40,000 birds have reportedly been culled, which is 10,000 more than the original estimate, and authorities say it may be 2 or 3 more days before they are done.
This from AFP.
Bird flu outbreak in India's Assam state
(AFP)
1 December 2008NEW DELHI - Authorities in India's north-eastern Assam state culled 40,000 poultry of some 60,000 infected birds ordered to be killed after an outbreak of bird flu in the state, a news report said Monday.
Culling operations have been mounted in nearly 50 villages of central Kamrup district since Friday and 40,000 chickens and ducks have been killed, Manoranjan Choudhury, an official of the state veterinary department, told the IANS news agency.
The culling operations are expected to be completed by 22 teams in the next three days. India's Health Ministry last week confirmed the outbreak of bird flu after laboratory tests found strains of the deadly H5N1 avian influenza.
Meanwhile, some distance to the south in the coastal state of Orissa, authorities are urging vigilance against the bird flu virus.
High alert in Orissa after bird flu hits Assam
Bhubaneswar, Dec 1 : Orissa government has directed all officials to be on alert and take measures to prevent an outbreak of bird flu in the state after the disease hit areas in Assam, officials said Monday.
"The fishery and animal husbandry resource development department has alerted all its officials across the state", director of the department Bishnupada Sethi told IANS.
"No flu has been detected in our state. But still we are taking all precautions" he said.
Millions of migratory birds from places as far as Siberia and Iraq flock every year to Orissa during winter and the government has deployed special teams to spot sick birds, Sethi said.
At least 750,000 migratory birds have come to Chilika Lake - India's largest brackish water lagoon, about 100 km from Bhubaneswar, since October.
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