SEPT 6, KATHMANDU. As many as 1.43 million chickens have been culled so far following the latest outbreak of avian influenza or H5N1 virus commonly known as bird flu in different parts in the country, the Ministry of Agriculture Development said.

Different 12 districts were affected by the disease and the government was still effortful to control it.

Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Kavrepalanchowk, Chitwan, Dhading, Kaski, Rupandehi, Nawalparasi, Sindhuli and Sindhupalchowk are among the districts affected by the bird flu, according to Ministry’s Spokesperson Dr Prabhakar Pathak. So far 109 cases of bird flu have been confirmed in the country.

Although the government has managed Rs.195 million for the compensation to the victims, they have refused to accept it citing the compensation was not as per the existing price. The bird flu-affected districts have been kept under special surveillance to prevent the disease from taking an epidemic turn, Dr Pathak said.RSS