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Wild birds to come under bird flu scanner soon BY HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 4 — Goa so far has had no reports of bird flu but that doesn't mean authorities are taking any chances in carrying out surveillance. While ban on import of chicken products have been extended by another week, expert bird catchers from Mumbai expected to come down to Goa to help catch wild migratory birds, so to enable thorough sero-surveillance. The Nodal Officer, Dr Ernest D'Costa said, " bird catchers are expected next week, who have been called so that wild birds are caught Without causing them any harm, and we could have blood testing to check out if they are not carriers of bird flu." So far only feacle sample of wild birds have been tested as it was not possible to have blood samples of migratory birds. Besides Vasco, there have also been stray cases of birds dying in the state, however D'Costa said, there is nothing to worry about as those cases are of white diarrhoea, disease which is common during the summer season. All sero and other samples examined so far have tested negative, fresh 512 samples will be sent for examination to High Security Laboratory in Bhopal. In addition to extending the ban period by week's time, farm yard manure at poultries in boarder areas will also be checked. There is a possibility of farm yard having poultry droppings, which could also be one source of spreading dreaded disease. Leaving nothing to chance, Dr D'Costa said, they will strictly examining poultry farm manure imported from outside Goa. -- TUMCHER AXIRVAD ASSUM; DEV BOREM KORUM. Gabe Menezes. London, England
