March 22, 2007	Thursday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 2, 1428

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ISLAMABAD, March 21: Bird flu virus has once again been detected in the federal capital, an official confirmed here on Wednesday. “The National Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza has detected bird flu virus in two out of eight crows received from different parts of the capital,” Ministry of Food and Agriculture spokesman Dr Mohammad Afzal told Dawn.

He said these samples were received from a park, a garden and roadside, adding that some were also brought from Tarlai.

Dr Afzal said there were chances of some other wild birds carrying the H5N1 virus and warned that the people must not try to handle dead birds bare handed.

He said if a dead bird was found somewhere, it should be reported to the sanitary inspectors of the Capital Development Authority (CDA). The whole dead bird placed in a plastic bag should be sent to the Poultry Research Institute, Rawalpindi, or the nearest maternity hospital.

The spokesman said dead birds could be safely disposed off by deep burial wearing disposable gloves.

He said people having backyard poultry or keeping fancy birds should protect their birds from coming in contact with wild birds and get them vaccinated against avian influenza.

Answering a question, Mohammad Afzal said the detection of bird flu virus had nothing to do with chicken and it was safe to eat.