Nepal is confronting a rapidly expanding bird flu outbreak that has forced authorities to cull over half a million birds and place government quarantine facilities on high alert, officials announced Wednesday.
The first confirmed case this year emerged in March and has since reached 11 of the nation’s 77 districts, including the capital city of Kathmandu. Despite the spread, no human infections have been recorded.
According to Mukul Upadhyaya, spokesperson for the Department of Livestock Services, a total of 658,313 chickens have been killed, along with the destruction of more than one million eggs and 222,000 kilograms — roughly 489,400 pounds — of poultry feed.
“It is under control in other places except in Kathmandu Valley, where cases are severe,” Upadhyaya told Reuters.
Nepal’s only zoo, located in Kathmandu, shut its doors to visitors on June 19 after infections were found there. Zoo spokesperson Ganesh Koirala confirmed that several animals have died, including vultures, ducks, and some leopard cats.
Livestock specialists are actively monitoring the situation and supervising culling operations throughout the affected areas, officials said.
While Nepal does not import poultry meat, authorities have increased surveillance along its open border with India to stop any illegal smuggling of poultry products, Upadhyaya added.
The government is calling on citizens to immediately notify livestock authorities if they observe any unusual sickness or unexplained deaths among birds.
