Bhutan - Bird flu detected in wild birds

Phuentsholing, south Bhutan (Kuensel/ANN) - After chickens, the contagious bird flu has now been detected in wild birds.

Investigations will begin tomorrow in Phuentsholing to find out if the flu would affect the wild bird population in Bhutan.

The investigation is carried out after the National Incident Command Centre (NICC) for bird flu received reports of some 18 wild birds death that died simultaneously over the last week.

First, about 15 "house crows" were found dead on January 19 near the junction of Rabten workshop and GREF camp. House crows are a species that are found in sub-tropical areas like Phuentsholing.

The satellite veterinary laboratory officer in-charge Tuku Rai said all 15 crows had decomposed and could not be used for laboratory investigation. "But we managed to find a sick crow from the same area," Tuku Rai said. "The sample tested positive for H5 and influenza "A" virus during the filed investigation."

But, the bird tested negative for N1 strain. Livetsock officials said there is a high chance of a different kind of bird flu virus affecting the wild crow population. "The sick crow has died but we have collected its bone marrow and brain," Tuku Rai said. "No further crow deaths have been reported so far."

Focal person for bird flu Dr Tashi Dorji said a "Blue Fronted Red Start" was also found dead near the regional livestock development centre in Tsimasham campus. It tested positive for H5N1.

Another pigeon that was found dead near the bird flu outbreak area at Tsimasham had also tested positive for H5N1 as well as the pigeon and a sparrow that were found dead in the Chukha hydro power colony campus.

A team comprising a wild bird specialist from the Ugyen Wangchuck Institute of Forest and Environment, veterinarians from the livestock department and an official from the satellite veterinary laboratory in Phuentsholing will investigate the deaths and study the flu's risks to the country's wild birds.

Dr Tashi Dorji said the investigation will monitor and find out different species of wild birds breeding in Phuentsholing," he said. "We'll have to collect fresh sample and find out the diseases spectrum to understand."

The main objective of the investigation, Dr Tashi Dorji said, is to see the role of wild birds in the outbreak of bird flu in the domestic poultry population.

Another surveillance team are also doing the same investigation in Thimphu and Paro even though no deaths of wild birds have been reported so far.

All reports and samples will be sent to Bhopal, India for virus sequencing and phylogenetic studies.

With thousands of crows in Jharkhand, India reported to have died in the last two months, the NICC on January 10 had already notified all agencies in the country dealing with wild life to alert their field offices on the mortality of any wild birds.

"We urge the public to report any wild bird deaths and request poultry owners to protect their poultry birds from mixing with wild birds," Dr Tashi Dorji said.

Yangchen C Rinzin in Phuentsholing/Kuensel | Asia News Network

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