Clean-up operations at farms affected by bird flu to take longer

Clean-up operations at poultry farms affected by bird flu outbreaks in east Bohemia will take longer than expected, fire fighters in the Pardubice region said on Tuesday. The works will probably last until the end of July although previously the cull and disposal of birds in the afflicted areas were expected to be completed by Thursday. In all, some 200,000 turkeys, broilers and laying hens have been slaughtered at the poultry farms in Tisova, Norin, Chocen, Netreby, Zarecka Lhota and Loucky that were hit by the H5N1 bird flu virus strain. In addition, some 1,900 birds from small private flocks have been culled on the orders of vets. The first outbreak of bird flu was reported by vets on a turkey farm at Tisova on June 20. One week later, the virus was found on a broiler farm in Norin, four kilometres from Tisova. Other cases of the emergence of H5N1 strain were confirmed at poultry farms in Netreby and near Kosorin on July 11.