India alert for bird flu

The Pakistan poultry industry says it is unhappy with the cull

Indian health officials have ordered hospitals and local authorities to remain vigilant after a strain of bird flu was reported in Pakistan.

Indian state governments have been told to inform federal authorities about any large-scale deaths of chickens.

On Monday Pakistan said a strain of bird flu had been found in chickens in the southern port of Karachi.

The influenza was identified as H-7 and H-9, strains which are said to be less dangerous than H-5N1, which is afflicting South-East Asia.

India alert

No case has as yet been reported in India but officials say they are taking no chances.

"Certain states like those in the border areas have to be extra vigilant and take all precautionary steps," Health Ministry official MVVS Murthy told the BBC.

The authorities in the northern Indian state of Punjab have placed districts on the border with Pakistan on alert.

"Arrangements are already in place for the rapid analysis of any suspect blood samples in Punjab," a state livestock official said.

Punjab shares a long land border with Pakistan.

Federal agriculture ministry officials have also announced a six-month ban on farm imports from countries which have reported bird flu.

WHO warning

Since November, between 1.5 million and 3.5 million chickens have died in Sindh province, but authorities say only a few thousand were from avian flu.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has not yet confirmed the Pakistan outbreak but has requested more information from the government.

Two boys in Thailand and six people in Vietnam have died from the recent H-5N1 bird flu outbreak

There is no evidence that the flu can be transmitted from humans to humans, but the WHO warns the Asian outbreak could mutate and become more dangerous.

Pakistan is now the eighth Asian country to have registered current cases of bird flu.