Nepal's government confirmed on Friday (January 16) the outbreak of Bird Flu (H5N1) virus in the Himalayan country.

The tests done in Nepal Central Veterinary Laboratory and UK’s OIE Reference Laboratory, Weybridge detected the avian virus in six out of every seven chicken brought from Mechi Municipality-10 quarantine office in Kakadbhitta, the ministry of agriculture and cooperatives said in a press release.

The Cabinet has declared the area within the range of 3 km from the quarantine office “Bird Flu Emergency Area”.

The government took the decision as per the Natural Calamity (Relief) Act.

The Emergency Area includes areas within Mechi River in the east, Mechinagar Municipality building in the west, Nakkalbanda in the north and Shatighatta in the south.

As per the government decision, all the birds, avian-related substances, materials for poultry production and other concerning equipment, except those which can be sterilised, will be destroyed.

Nobody will be allowed to farm, transfer, produce, refine, sell, purchase and consume poultry-related materials until the emergency declaration is withdrawn.

The rightful owners of the fowls and concerning materials, if destroyed, will be compensated as per the Bird Flu Control Decree.

Informing about initiating immediate action to control and wipe out the outbreak, the ministry said it has preliminarily estimated that the virus can be eliminated within one month from the Emergency Area.

The department of livestock services has been directed to arrange active surveillance at the areas ranging 10 kms from Kakarbhitta to prevent the bird flu from spreading, minister for information and communications Krishna Bahadur Mahara said.

Nepal had managed to remain unscathed by the avian virus even after it was traced in neighbouring villages in India.