Some 2,646 chickens, ducks and pigeons were culled and 1,140 eggs destroyed in Bangladesh's southern Patuakhali district, about 160 km south of capital Dhaka Thursday night after detection of avian influenza.

 

District Livestock office sources were quoted by private news agency as saying that some crows and chickens died in the district on Tuesday.

 

Being informed, the livestock official collected sample of some chickens and sent those to Dhaka for laboratory test.

 

As avian influenza was detected in the sample after the test, 11 teams were formed comprising joint forces and members of district Bird Flu Prevention Committee to conduct operation in the town for culling chickens.

 

The teams conducted operation in one-km area of the town overnight and culled the poultry birds and destroyed the eggs.

 

The avian influenza virus was first detected in a poultry farm in Savar, about 30 km northwest of Dhaka early in 2007. Recently, detections of avian influenza have been reported in several districts across the country.

 

(Xinhua News Agency January 26, 2008)