Kathmandu, Jan 21 : The rapid response team formed to slaughter birds and bird related items in Kakkarvitta in Jhapa district near Kathmandu, where the bird flu virus was detected, completed its first phase of operation.

According to Kantipur, around 13000 birds were destroyed during the three-day campaign.

Nepal government launched the campaign to control the spread of the disease by culling birds in the region following the first ever confirmation of an outbreak of the viral disease in Mechi Municipality, bordering India, declaring the region within a three-kilometer radius of Kakkarvitta as emergency.

Technical team comprising experts and doctors formed the rapid response team and started working on it from Sunday afternoon.

Central Animal Quarantine Chief and Bird flu control team coordinator Dr. Ram Krishna Khatiwada said that the first phase of the work has been completed and the second phase will begin from today.

The test carried out in a UK lab confirmed the H5N1 strain of bird flu virus in the dead chickens from the poultry farm of one Ramesh Karki in Mechi Municipality-10.

Earlier, Minister for Agriculture Jayprakash Gupta, asked international community and donor agencies to provide help to Nepal to fight the disease.

He issued strict instruction to officials working at the Indo-Nepal border check points and quarantines in border areas to pay special attention to their task.

Avian influenza commonly known, as bird flu is an infection caused by avian (bird) influenza (flu) viruses and it can also infect humans. Avian influenza is very contagious among birds and can quickly make domesticated birds sick and kill them. (ANI)