By IANS, [RxPG] Siliguri/Kolkata, May 8 - Bird flu scare has gripped Siliguri in north Bengal following the death of over 2,000 poultry birds even as the West Bengal animal husbandry department said the birds died for reasons other than the H5N1 virus as avian influenza is medically known.
'There is nothing to panic. The birds and chicks died of Ranikheth and Gamboro diseases, not bird flu in all likelihood as per our immediate post-mortem reports. But we are cautious and have sent the samples for laboratory test in Bhopal,' West Bengal Animal Husbandry Minister Anisur Rahman told IANS in Kolkata Tuesday.
Reports from Siliguri in Darjeeling district said the scare spread in the Raj Aziz Poultry Farm at Matigara on the outskirts of the town that has over 20,000 poultry birds. At least 2,000 dead birds were recovered from there by local health authorities.
'We have reports that about 2,300 chickens which died in the past seven days. But there is nothing to panic as we have taken all precautionary measures,' said Rahman.
'Our people are alert and following reports of the disease in Bangladesh we have taken all precautions in nine border districts,' said Rahman.
'We request people not to worry,' he said.
Block Development Officer Sanat Mondal rushed to the spot and ensured removal of the dead birds.
The birds were buried on the orders of Darjeeling's District Magistrate Rajesh Pandey.
'We have sealed the farm,' Rahman said.
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