India's N-E states restrict entry of poultry from Bangladesh, Myanmar

The states of Tripura, Assam, Mizoram, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh which share joint borders with either Bangladesh or Myanmar have asked custom officials to ban entry of livestock and poultry from the adjoining countries.

"We are worried as we have an 856-km-long border with Bangladesh.

A general alert has been sounded and steps taken to prevent outbreak of bird flu here," Narayan Das, director of Tripura's Animal Resource Department, said.

Bangladesh has culled about 60,000 birds since confirming the outbreak of the H5N1 flu virus last week on 16 farms in the country.

Myanmar has also confirmed the outbreak of the avian flu in five townships in and around the capital Yangon. The five townships are Mayangon, Hlaingtharya, North Okkalapa, Mingaladon and Hmawby.

"Poultry, quails and pheasants of the affected farms together with those from possibly affected farms and from farms that are contiguous with the affected farms were culled and necessary preventive measures are being taken," a statement by Myanmar's Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department on Monday said.

A total of 1,863 fowls died of the virus with 37,883 culled since the outbreak of the virus in February, the statement said.

"We have directed all border outposts with Bangladesh to ensure that no poultry enters into Assam," an Assam government health department spokesman said.

Similar alerts were sounded by Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh which share borders with Myanmar.

There has been no reported case of bird flu in the northeast, but the spread of the virus in adjoining countries has led to panic in the region.

"People have already stopped eating chicken or even eggs and so the demand for fish and mutton has gone up manifold during the past week," Bhairab Kanta Sharma, a local veterinarian, said.

Sources: INDIAMUSLIM.INFO