Birdflu has been confirmed in the Malda district of West Bengal, for the second time within two-months as the administration banned sale & transportation of birds and decided to cull 44,000 chicken at three places in the district from Friday.

The culling will be taken up at Englishbazar, partly in old Malda town & at Sahapur. An official said, “Blood samples sent to the High Security Animal Diseases Laboratory at Bhopal have tested positive & the H5N1 viral attack has been confirmed”. The official said that at least 1,100 birds died in the state-owned poultry farm located within the Malda municipal area’s ward no. II since March 12.

The official said, “The administration has been keeping close watch on the markets and monitoring the situation”.