By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Rumours are spreading thick and fast of the possible outbreak of bird flu in East Garo Hills district after the sudden death of 2,000 chickens in the government poultry farm in the district last week.
East Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner, Pravin Bakshi, however, did not confirm anything, saying that the District administration was awaiting the test reports in this regard.
According to Bakshi, the chickens died probably due to viral infection and since it was a case of mysterious death, samples had been sent to a Bhopal-based laboratory for testing to ascertain whether the poultry deaths had anything to do with bird flu.
It is learnt that after the death of the chicken were reported in the government-run poultry farm in Williamnagar, samples were initially sent to Guwahati but since no definite result was ascertained, the samples were again sent to Bhopal.
However, there are 800 more chickens in the farm which have not been affected by the mysterious disease, Bakshi added.
