ATTOCK, April 28: A team of experts has culled 800 birds at a poultry farm at village Sarwala near Attock where avian flu virus was found.

Director General, Poultry Research, Lahore, Dr Zafar Gill confirming the report on Friday said samples collected from the farm had shown low pathogenic avian influenza H5.

Some samples had been sent to National Veterinary Laboratory (NVL) Islamabad, which would be sent to the World Reference Laboratory in the UK for further confirmation, he said.

He said, earlier, after detecting moderate mortality rates in a poultry farm in past few days the experts sent the samples from the poultry farm to the Poultry Research Institute (PRI), Rawalpindi, which tested positive the bird flu virus.

A special team, dispatched to the area, had sealed the farm after culling about 800 birds. But no other farm of the district was found affected so far, he said.

Although the teams have collected samples from the all- commercial poultry farms, situated within 3-km radius of infected area and are being sent to research laboratories for tests.

The team had been asked to assess the situation in the area, give advice and train local health workers to help contain any outbreak of the bird flu, he said.

Meanwhile, an emergency meeting was held at a local livestock office here under the EDO Agriculture Attock, to share information, review the preparedness and discuss plans to cope with the situation. All veterinary doctors and live stock officials attended the meeting.

NEW WAVE OF FEAR: The bird flu fear has once again gripped Attock district after reporting the virus at a local poultry farm as poultry prices have also plummeted in last 24 hours by about 30 to 35 per cent in the market.

A local poultry wholesaler said that poultry industry had come under unprecedented pressure for the second time during the last four months.

He said the chicken price had come down by 40 per cent so far, and it might go down further, as last time, when the poultry industry was hit by the flu scare, chicken price was Rs25 per kg.