A team of Bhopal-based National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) will reach Chandigarh on Saturday to collect water samples from Sukhna lake.
After the detection of avian influenza, H5N1 in one of samples of 24 domesticated ducks that had died at Sukhna lake in past one week, it is suspected that the lake’s water might be carrying the bird flu infection. Also, 90 ducks were culled on Thursday at the lake’s island as a part of control and containment measures to prevent the spread of bird flu in Chandigarh.
Santosh Kumar, UT conservator of forests-cum-wildlife warden said, “A team of NIHSAD will reach the city on Saturday to collect water samples from Sukhna lake.” “The water could be contaminated and infected with droppings of infected birds… Hence, as a precautionary measure, water sample would be tested by NIHSAD team and then a final decision would be taken on carrying out cleaning operations at Sukhna lake. On Friday, disinfection was carried out at the lake after culling operations,” Kumar told The Pioneer.
In a meeting held on Friday, the UT Administration has also decided to collect blood and fecal samples of domesticated ducks at Punjab Raj Bhawan, Rock Garden and Golf Club. The samples will be sent to Regional Disease Diagnostic laboratory (RDDl), Jalandhar to check for bird flu strains.