MP: 1,300 crows dead since Dec 26, bird flu in 18 districts

Around 1,300 crows have died inMadhya Pradesh since December 26 and the bird flu footprinthad covered 18 of the 52 districts in the state as on Monday,officials said.Some 600 poultry birds have been culled as part of theefforts to stop the spread of the avian influenza, they added.Around 1,300 crows have been found dead in differentdistricts of the state since December 26.

Around 1,300 crows have died inMadhya Pradesh since December 26 and the bird flu footprinthad covered 18 of the 52 districts in the state as on Monday,officials said.

Some 600 poultry birds have been culled as part of theefforts to stop the spread of the avian influenza, they added.

''Around 1,300 crows have been found dead in differentdistricts of the state since December 26. Avian influenzacases have been reported from 18 districts, up from 13 onSunday.

''A dead sparrow in Bhopal has also tested positive(for bird flu),'' MP Animal Husbandry Department Director Dr RKRokde told PTI.

''Deaths of around 10 pigeons and an equal number ofherons have been reported in the state. Over 600 birds kept inpoultry shops for meat sale were culled in Indore, Neemuch andAgar Malwa district after administering anesthesia. Cullingwas done after samples were taken for testing,'' he added.

He said no culling had taken place so far in farmsanywhere in the state.

The first avian influenza case was detected in thestate on December 29 after samples of some crows found dead inthe Residency area of Indore tested positive for the disease.

Bird flu is a highly infectious and severe respiratorydisease in birds caused by the influenza virus.