Telangana can heave a sigh of relief as samples from birds which died due to a suspected deadly H5N1 Avian Influenza infection, tested negative for the virus.
Animal Husbandry Department officials had sent 10 dead birds to the High Security Animal Diseases Lab in Bhopal for testing, last weekend. The birds had died mysteriously at a farm in Injapur Village, about 1.5 km from Thorrur village where 1.6 lakh birds were culled last month after thousands of birds caught the H5N1 infection. This time, the lab did not find the virus in the samples sent to them and has communicated the same to the central government. According to animal husbandry sources, the farm owner reported the deaths to veterinarians who did not see symptoms of bird flu unlike in birds which died a month ago. Samples were nevertheless sent for testing as the administration is keen to curtail a potential outbreak.
