Bird flu outbreak spreads across four districts in Nepal

Nepal is grappling with a widening outbreak of avian influenza, with cases of the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus now confirmed across four districts, raising concerns over further spread.

Officials said the infection has been detected in 23 poultry farms located in Morang, Sunsari, Jhapa and Chitwan districts. The outbreak was first identified in Morang on 18 March and has since expanded to other regions, prompting containment measures.

The government has stepped up efforts to control the situation, with authorities culling large numbers of birds in affected areas. According to official figures, more than 113,000 poultry, including chickens and ducks, have been destroyed, along with over 211,000 eggs, in a bid to prevent transmission.

“We are making every effort to ensure the virus does not spread further,” an official from the Department of Livestock Services said.

Avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, is a highly contagious viral disease that primarily affects birds but can also infect mammals, including humans in rare cases. The H5N1 strain is considered particularly dangerous due to its high mortality rate among poultry and potential to cause severe illness in humans.

Human infections, though uncommon, can range from mild symptoms to severe respiratory disease and, in some instances, can be fatal. Cases have also been reported where individuals exposed to infected animals showed no symptoms.

The current strain belongs to the goose/Guangdong lineage, first identified in 1996, which has been responsible for repeated outbreaks worldwide. Since 2020, newer variants have caused significant losses in both wild bird populations and poultry across multiple continents.

The virus spread rapidly across Africa, Asia and Europe before reaching North America in 2021 and Central and South America in 2022. Recent years have seen some of the most persistent and widespread outbreaks on record, particularly in Europe and North America.

Authorities in Nepal are continuing surveillance and containment operations, with heightened monitoring of poultry farms and movement restrictions aimed at limiting further transmission.

With IANS inputs