UN praises India for 'swift' action in bird flu outbreak

The United Nations has praised the "swift and comprehensive" measures taken by India to bring under control the "worst-ever" outbreak of bird flu in West Bengal, while urging the country to maintain vigilance in view of similar incidents reported in its neighbourhood.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation's veterinary expert Mohinder Oberoi said that intensive culling in the predominantly backyard poultry sector of West Bengal appears to have stopped the disease in its tracks.

Oberoi made the comment after a recent field trip to the affected areas, where no new outbreaks have been reported since February 2.

FAO's Chief Veterinary Officer Joseph Domenech, however, urged the country to maintain intensive surveillance in high-risk areas as the possibility of new occurrences remains high.