DADU, Nov 15: A team of six production and research officers, Sindh, took samples of migratory birds from the Manchhar Lake on Tuesday to check if there were any traces of bird flu. The director of the poultry production and research, Sindh, Dr Shahzado Malkani, had directed local officials of poultry production to take samples of migratory birds and poultry farms throughout the district.

The team comprising district officer poultry, Dr Sikandar Ali Panhwar, stock assistants Hamid Ali Leghari, Aslam, Ali Asghar, Illahi Bux, Manzoor Hussain, Ghulam Hyder, laboratory technician Mohammad Laique and poultry farm attendant Hashim Lund visited different parts of the Manchhar Lake and took samples of migratory birds.

Fishermen Mohammad Qasim and Ghulam Mohammad informed them that hundreds of migratory birds from different countries had arrived at the Manchhar Lake but the weight of the birds was reduced owing to salty water and non-availability of grass in the lake as compared to previous years.

The team also visited surrounding poultry farms and other spots of Manchhar Lake, Bhan Syedabad town and Bubak village and collected samples of poultry farms.

Team leader Dr Sikandar Panhwar told Dawn that he had taken blood samples, pieces of trachea, liver, swab and lung pieces of migratory birds from the Manchhar Lake and from local poultry farms in Bhan Syedabad.

He said that samples were sent to the National Laboratory Islamabad and research laboratory for tests.

He said the team was already taking samples as routine from different poultry farms of Dadu, Johi and Mehar since May 31 but fresh samples would be taken next week and sent to laboratories in Karachi and Islamabad for fresh tests.