No threat of bird flu in Multan: DCO

After the confirmation of bird flu in Karachi, Punjab government has asked the citizens and city district governments, TMA's to take measures to save themselves from the bird flu virus H5N1.
District Coordination Officer Multan Shaikh Abdul Sattar said the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and Livestock is continuously working to secure the poultry industry in the country and vaccinations and blood tests of poultry were collected from different parts of the country. "we have been taking preventive measures in Multan and adjacent areas and we asked the poultry owners to maintain proper sanitation in their farms and make arrangements for vaccination," DCO said.
He said that southern Punjab is still free from the virus H5N1 (Bird flu). He also urged citizens and city governments to work shoulder to shoulder to prevent the virus in this area" It is the responsibility of city governments and citizens of the country to dispose off the dead hens if they find them anywhere in their territory. However, they should inform the ministry as the blood samples of the dead chickens can be collected which will help in diagnosing the reason of the birds death", he asked.
He also appealed to the workers of poultry farms to be careful while working in the farms and never neglect their blood tests in routine as the virus could easily harm the workers at poultry farms.
DCO held a meeting with representatives of the poultry farm association said that there was no threat of bird flu in Multan and its rural areas. He said that the government was taking blood samples from farms to keep a check on the virus.
The DCO said that they would make arrangements for educating the poultry workers and the check the poultry in the Bazaars to ensure the provision of save poultry to the public. The meeting was informed that foolproof preventive measures have been taken at poultry farms to ensure the safety of poultry.
As part of pre-cautionary measures, observation has been enhanced at the poultry farms and weekly Bazaars. Regular sampling was underway and there was no evidence of H5N1 virus in and around Multan.