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🇳🇵 Nepal /Health & Science

Kathmandu Valley battles bird flu outbreaks

From Kathmandu Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Nepal's Department of Livestock Services deployed rapid response teams to cull birds amid a major bird flu outbreak in the Kathmandu Valley.
  • Over 50 outbreaks of avian influenza A (H5N1) have been reported, affecting domestic fowl and spreading to the Central Zoo, where it has killed scores of birds and some animals.
  • Officials are racing to contain the spread, which began in eastern Nepal in March, with over 600,000 chickens culled nationwide so far.

Nepal is battling a significant bird flu outbreak, with the Kathmandu Valley experiencing a major spread of the avian influenza virus A (H5N1). The Department of Livestock Services has deployed veterinary technicians to cull chickens and ducks in affected farms across Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, and Lalitpur districts.

Over 50 bird flu outbreaks have been reported so far in the Valley. The spread is currently at its peak in the Valley, we are busy with control measures.

— Dr Mukul Upadhyayaa senior veterinary officer and lead focal person for avian influenza control programmes and disease surveillance at the Department of Livestock Services, describing the severity of the outbreak.

Officials report over 50 bird flu outbreaks in the Valley alone, with the situation described as being at its peak. The virus, which first appeared in eastern Nepal in March, has now reached the Central Zoo. Scores of birds, including vultures, owls, swans, and cranes, have died, and the virus has also been detected in civets. The zoo has been closed since Friday as authorities work to contain the infection.

This is the first confirmed instance of A(H5N1) spreading among both birds and animals at the Central Zoo. While officials are monitoring the situation and implementing containment measures, the reopening timeline remains uncertain. The outbreak has raised concerns about biosecurity lapses at the zoo, with some officials suggesting negligence and a delay in reporting the incident. A government probe team is investigating the matter.

We cannot say how long it will take for the zoo to reopen. We are closely monitoring the situation and taking measures to contain further spread of the infection.

— Ganesh Koiralaspokesperson of the Central Zoo, commenting on the closure and containment efforts.

Nationwide, over 600,000 chickens have been culled since the outbreaks began. While wild birds and animals at the zoo will not be culled, decisions on the zoo's reopening will take weeks. The government typically culls poultry, seals affected sites, and restricts movement for 42 days during such outbreaks.

Zoo officials make the incident public only after a large number of birds start dying at once. Lab tests confirmed the outbreak. Details will be known only after the probe team formed by the government submits its report.

— an official at the Department of Livestock Servicesspeaking anonymously about the alleged delay in reporting the outbreak by zoo officials.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Kathmandu Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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