Fear of avian influenza continued to create panic in Karnataka after more than 33,000 poultry birds -19,235 chicken, 13,673 ducks and 369 emus - were culled at Central Poultry Development Organization (CPDO) in Hesaraghatta, 40 km from Bangalore.

The state government on Monday confirmed that 206 chickens and 17 ducks that died at CPDO over the weekend were affected by the avian influenza (H5N1) virus.

Due to the outbreak of bird flu, the animal husbandry department announced on Monday evening the culling of poultry birds on the institution premises in a 1-km radius. The department also said that around 52 chicken sheds in that area are being cleaned and sanitized to prevent the spread of highly pathogenic H5N1 virus.

"About 80 samples were collected from villages around CPDO and sent for tests to Bhopal's High-Security Animal Disease Laboratory on Saturday. No further unnatural deaths of birds have been reported from this zone," The Times of India quoted Aravind Jannu, animal husbandry department principal secretary, as saying.

The operation to sanitize turkey, duck, emu and chicken sheds has been initiated.

"Ten teams are involved in surveillance work in the 10-km-wide affected zone. Twenty-five rapid response teams are involved in the culling and disposal of the birds on the CPDO farm," said Jannu.

A school on the CPDO campus has been closed for more than two weeks and visitors have been barred from entry at all the units in the premises.

Last week, more than 3,400 turkeys died due to bird flu at CPDO. A red alert notice was issued around the area after bird flu deaths were confirmed by the authorities. 

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