Maharashtra reports 161 more bird deaths

At least 161 birds, including 129poultry birds, were found dead in Maharashtra on Wednesday, anofficial said on Thursday.

According to an official statement, 19 crows and 13others birds, including herons, sparrows and parrots, werealso found dead on Wednesday.

The state has recorded deaths of 19,238 birds sinceJanuary 8, it was stated.

''Samples taken from dead birds are being sent to theNational Institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopaland Disease Investigation Section, Pune for testing,'' theofficial said.

The test results were received from the NIHSAD onWednesday and none of the samples taken from poultry birdstested positive for avian influenza, he said.

The government, however, did not specify the number ofsamples received on Wednesday.

''Samples taken from a peacock found dead in Khandalaof Yavatmal district and an owl from Hangarga in Nandeddistrict were found positive for avian influenza,'' he added.

So far, 66,570 poultry birds, 13 ducks, 40,531 eggsand 56,331 kg of poultry feed have been destroyed frominfected zones in the state, it was stated.

The state government has sanctioned a compensationpackage of Rs 1.30 crore for culling poultry and other birds,eggs and poultry feed and an operational cost of diseasecontrol within 1 km radius of the infected area under the BirdFlu Disease Control Programme, the statement said.