Six more birds die in Delhi, killer strain is H5N8

New Delhi, Oct 21: Six more birds died at the now shut Deer Park here on Friday, taking the total reported death count of migratory birds in the capital due to bird flu to 24. The central lab in Bhopal meanwhile confirmed that the virus strain found in the initial sample of birds was H5N8, which does not pose as much risk to humans as H5N1, Delhi Animal Husbandry Minister Gopal Rai said. A sample of eight birds was first sent to the regiol lab in Jalandhar and later to the central lab in Bhopal. The initial reports said H5 virus was found in three of the birds. The Delhi government received the fil report on Thursday evening.

“The H5N1 is the most dangerous strain, which we were fearing... But the fil report has concluded that it is H5N8 virus,” Rai said. “We talked to medical experts and they said that while H5N1 has been found to infect humans, no such reports have come regarding H5N8. So people of Delhi need not panic,” the minister added. Rai’s remarks came after he held a meeting with experts from Bhopal and Bareily central labs. (IANS)