The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock hereby notifies the general public of a confirmed outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 (HPAI H5N1, commonly known as Bird Flu) in Kamalung village, Bjoka Gewog under Zhemgang Dzongkhag. The HPAI outbreak, affecting one household with 50 poultry birds, was confirmed through rt-PCR on March 28, 2025 at National Centre for Animal Health, Serbithang.
HPAI is a highly contagious viral disease in domestic poultry as well as in wild birds. The disease causes high mortality in domestic poultry. Although HPAI is primarily a disease of birds, it can also infect mammals including humans producing a range of mild to severe respiratory and gastro-intestinal symptoms.
The virus spreads through direct and indirect contact with infected birds, their secretions, and contaminated environments. Infected poultry exhibits swollen, bluish discoloration of the comb, wattles, and face, severe respiratory distress, greenish, watery or bloody diarrhea, neurological signs, and in some cases sudden death.
Since the recent outbreaks of HPAI had been reported in some of the Indian states, the general public are requested to refrain from illegal import of live chickens and chicken products from India. All poultry farmers across the country are advised to enhance their farm biosecurity to prevent HPAI infection in their farms, and immediately report any sickness/deaths in poultry birds, sightings of dead water fowls/wild birds to the nearest office of the Department of Livestock or BFDA office or through the Hotline numbers 1224 (DoL) and 1555 (BFDA).
Any person found not adhering to this notification shall be firmly dealt in accordance with the relevant laws of the country.
Issued for information and strict compliance to prevent HPAI outbreaks and safeguard public health and the livelihood of our poultry farmers.
Chair
National Incident Command Committee
