No more bird flu in country: PPA

Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA), Sindh, on Saturday said that local poultry farms were no more in the grip of bird flu.
The PPA made the announcement at a press conference at Karachi Press Club.
The news conference was organised by patron in chief of PPA Khalil Sattar, Mehmood Hasan, Dr Zafar ul Islam and Maroof Siddiqui.
The office bearers of PPA claimed that during the last two weeks there had been no deaths among layer birds due to H7 and H9.
The scientists and doctors of the Islamabad and Lahore-based veterinary institutes detected the virus in the second week of November last.
They said that the H7 and H9 virus were not dangerous to human health as compared to fatal H5 virus which was detected in Thailand and some other countries.
The H7 and H9 viruses were first discovered in the 'layer flock' in 1994 and again in 1996 in Mansehra district (NWFP) and the doctors then developed vaccines.
It was impossible for the affected egg laying hens to survive from this virus adding that vaccines were only used to prevent the disease.
A member of National Disease Control Committee, Sindh Zone, Dr Zafarul Islam Siddiqui said that the 'broiler birds' used for meat purpose were completely safe and unaffected from the virus.
Dr Zafar said that presently any mortalities in the poultry farms were a matter of routine and have nothing to do with the virus.
The poultry farms across the country were being supervised and looked after by more than 500 qualified veterinary doctors.
The poultry industry has a revolving investment of about Rs 50 to 60 billion per annum.
According to the PPA members, the poultry farmers in Karachi suffered a loss of an estimated Rs 700 to 800 million since November due to the virus which engulfed 50 percent of the 'layer birds' population of 8 to 10 million.
The Association members further stated that there was no major export of poultry except a few consignments of 'broilers' in the Middle East and Afghanistan.
They claimed that due to the media reports, the demand for chickens have dropped significantly and added that it would take some time to restore the confidence of general public in this regard.