Nepal - Bird flu outbreak in poultry 2023-2026

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Source: https://english.ratopati.com/story/5...aces-this-year

Bird Flu Outbreak Confirmed in 23 Locations Across Nepal During Chaitra
ratopati
RSS April 06, 2026

Kathmandu. This year, bird flu has been detected in 23 locations during the month of Chaitra alone. Dr. Umesh Dahal, Director General of the Department of Livestock Services, confirmed that the disease was identified in 23 places throughout Chaitra, noting that no cases had been reported prior to this month.

The first cases of the year were reported on Chaitra 6 in Sundarharaicha and Urlabari municipalities of Morang district. According to the Director General, the outbreaks have been identified in Sunsari (12 locations), Morang (seven locations), Jhapa (two locations), Chitwan (one location), and Kathmandu (one location). He stated that the affected areas have been brought under control to prevent further spread...

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From Google:
The Nepali date 2082/12/21 BS (Bikram Sambat) converts to approximately April 4, 2026 AD (Gregorian Calendar)
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https://dls.gov.np/notice-details/180/06472862

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wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/7386

[Shiloh]

Source: https://english.ratopati.com/story/5...27000-chickens

Bird Flu Outbreak Triggers Massive Culling of Over 227,000 Chickens in Koshi Province
ratopati
Ratopati April 19, 2026

Biratnagar. The poultry industry in Koshi Province is facing a crisis following a rapid spread of bird flu. To contain the infection, the process of culling over 227,000 chickens from the province's two largest poultry farms began on Sunday, marking the largest such operation in the region to date.

According to Dr. Manoj Kumar Mahato, Chief of the Veterinary Hospital in Sunsari, 155,000 chickens at the Sunsari Poultry Farm in Ramdhuni are being culled. Approximately 7,000 chickens have already died due to the infection. A team of 110 workers has been deployed to carry out the culling.

Similarly, an infection has been detected at the Purwanchal Group farm in Budhiganga, Morang. Dr. Ajay Kumar Shah, Chief of the Veterinary Hospital in Morang, stated that preparations are complete to cull approximately 45,000 out of the 72,000 chickens at that facility...

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AI Overview
The Nepali date 2083 Baishakh 15 (2083.01.15) converts to April 28, 2026 (Gregorian) calendar
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Bird Flu (H5N1) outbreak in domestic birds updated on 2083.01.15 based upon the RRT and NAHIS information

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https://dls.gov.np/notice-details/183/10445335%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B

[Shiloh]

Source: https://english.nepalnews.com/s/heal...es-high-alert/

Bird flu outbreak in Gokarneshwor; Municipality issues high alert
Nepal News
May 26, 2026

KATHMANDU: Gokarneshwor Municipality in Kathmandu has urged the public to maintain high alertness following the confirmation of ‘Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza’ (bird flu) in Wards 2, 3, and 4.

To contain the outbreak, authorities are actively culling poultry—including ducks, chickens, quails, and guinea fowls—and safely destroying eggs and feed in infected zones before disinfecting the areas. ...

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wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/7386

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Google translation
UPDATED: SUN, 07 JUN 2026 01:57 PM (IST)

Bird flu crisis in Nepal infection spreads to 10 districts, including Nawalparasi

The outbreak of bird flu (H5N1) in Nepal continues to escalate. The poultry industry faces a deepening crisis as the infection spreads across 10 districts, including the border district of West Nawalparasi. To contain the infection, over 479,156 birds have been culled across 55 commercial and backyard poultry farms. Additionally, millions of eggs and large quantities of animal feed have had to be destroyed.

According to data from the National Animal Health Information System (NAHIS) and the Rapid Response Team (RRT), the first confirmed case of bird flu in the current fiscal year was reported at a layer poultry farm in Sundarharaicha-4, Jhapa district.

Subsequently, the infection spread from Koshi Province to Madhesh, Bagmati, and other regions. Data indicates that 694,193 eggs and 182,775 kilograms of animal feed have been destroyed so far due to the outbreak. ...Sunsari district is the worst-affected, with confirmed infections in 23 poultry farms; 285,564 birds and 427,580 eggs were culled there. In Morang district, 11 farms were found to be affected, resulting in the culling of 111,860 birds. ...A matter of concern is that the infection has now reached the capital, Kathmandu. Eight poultry farms in Kathmandu, three in Lalitpur, and two in Bhaktapur have been affected. In Kathmandu alone, 39,481 birds had to be culled. Other districts currently grappling with the infection include Chitwan, Jhapa, Bara, West Nawalparasi, and Mahottari.

Animal Health Officer Dr. S. Rijal stated that operations involving the disposal of birds, control of eggs and feed, and cleaning and disinfection drives have been intensified in the affected areas. According to experts, the infection is spreading rapidly due to the movement of wild birds, a disregard for biosecurity standards, and the reuse of contaminated materials. Officials have urged farmers to remain vigilant and immediately report any unusual situation. The impact of bird flu has been most severe in Sunsari district, where 23 poultry farms have been affected; over 285,000 birds have been culled in the district.

Meanwhile, more than 111,000 birds were culled in Morang district after the infection was confirmed at 11 farms. The spread of the infection to districts along the India-Nepal border, including West Nawalparasi, has raised concerns among the administration.

The Department of Livestock Services has issued directives to poultry farm operators to strictly adhere to biosecurity protocols, restrict the movement of outsiders, and immediately inform officials of any unusual bird deaths.

https://www.jagran.com/uttar-pradesh...ail&utm_medium =CRE&utm_campaign=latestnews_CRE

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Kathmandu (see reference to Kathmandu in post #23)

As per the 2021 Nepal census,^[3] it has a population of 845,767 residing in 105,649 households, with approximately 4 million people in the surrounding metropolitan area.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathmandu

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Translated

Bird flu spreads in Kathmandu Valley, Koshi calms down
Excerpts:

Director General of the Animal Services Department, Dr. Umesh Dahal said that although the infection has been brought under control in districts outside the valley, infections are now being seen in local and commercial farms in Kathmandu. According to him, bird flu continues to be found in some areas of Kirtipur, Chandragiri, Gokarneshwor, Godavari, Suryabinayak and Bhaktapur.

“Recently, the infection is increasing in places where local and semi-commercial poultry are kept, rather than commercial ones in the Kathmandu Valley,” Director General Dahal told Online News, “We are trying to control it by deploying teams.”

The department is mobilizing rapid action teams in the infected areas to destroy chickens and other poultry products. The department has urged farmers to pay special attention to biosecurity.

The department has warned farmers to fully comply with biosecurity standards as the infection has been found to have spread due to the reuse of crates and lack of cleanliness on farms.

In the latest data collected by the department, the presence of tall trees near farms where wild birds live, proximity to wetlands, and weaknesses in biosecurity are considered the main risks of infection.

In addition, the department has concluded that the reuse of egg crates without disinfection and the handling of poultry and meat by human beings without safety measures have also helped in the spread of the infection.

https://www.onlinekhabar.com/2026/06/1947424/bird-flu-spreads-in-kathmandu-valley-koshi-calms-down

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June 8, 2026
Bird Flu Returns: How H5N1 Is Tearing Through Nepal’s Poultry Sector

Excerpts:

Proximity to rivers and wetland areas, where migratory waterfowl land and rest during migration, was flagged as another key risk factor at multiple affected farms. The most striking development came in mid-March 2026, when 30 house crows found dead near the Tribhuvan University campus in Kathmandu tested positive for H5N1. This was a significant finding because it demonstrated the virus was circulating among urban wild birds at the same time as it was moving through commercial farms, suggesting a broader wildlife reservoir than authorities had previously been tracking...

Has bird flu ever infected and killed a human being in Nepal?

Yes. Nepal has recorded one confirmed human fatality from bird flu. In 2019, a 21-year-old man from Kavrepalanchok district died of a severe respiratory illness. He worked as a truck driver hauling live poultry between farms and markets, which placed him in regular close contact with birds and contaminated materials. After his death, the WHO Collaborating Centre for Influenza in Japan confirmed through laboratory analysis that he had been infected with the H5N1 strain.

His case stands as the only confirmed human death from bird flu in Nepal’s recorded history, though it remains a sobering reference point for the risks faced by people whose work brings them into sustained contact with poultry. Globally, the picture is grimmer. ...

The strain currently circulating in Nepal, identified as clade 2.3.2.1a, was previously associated with human infections in both Bangladesh and Nepal between 2015 and 2019, and related strains have been found in humans and cats in India during 2024 and 2025.

Scientists describe this clade as retaining significant zoonotic potential, meaning the risk of human infection, while still rare, is far from negligible for those who handle sick or dead birds without protection....

How far could this outbreak spread if it is not contained?

The geographic progression of the current outbreak already tells a cautionary story. The virus moved from Morang to Sunsari, then to Jhapa, then to Chitwan, then into the Kathmandu Valley at Kirtipur, Chandragiri, Gokarneshwar, Godawari, and Suryabinayak, and then into Bhaktapur, Bara, Nawalparasi (Bardaghat Susta Paschim) and Mahottari within just two months. That is roughly the territory from Nepal’s eastern Terai to its capital valley to the central and western Terai, covered in a single outbreak wave.

Experts point to several pathways of continued spread. The movement of chicks, eggs, and feed between districts through shared supply chains provides ongoing opportunities for contamination, particularly when biosecurity at farm gates is not rigorously enforced. Live bird markets, where birds from dozens of farms are mixed in close quarters, are particularly high-risk environments.

https://english.nepalnews.com/s/explainers/bird-flu-returns-how-h5n1-is-tearing-through-nepals-poultry-sector/

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[Many pics at the website. Crore (/krɔːr/; abbreviated cr) denotes the quantity ten million (10 ⁷) and is equal to 100 lakh in the Indian numbering system.]

Bird flu crisis in Koshi province: loss of more than 50 crores to poultry business
08 June 2026,

Excerpt:

Similarly, Morang district, where the infection started, has also suffered heavy losses. 1 lakh 2 thousand 943 chickens, 1 lakh 27 thousand 625 eggs and 24 thousand 838 kg of fodder have been destroyed in Morang. Also, due to the destruction of 84 thousand 900 crates and 1 thousand 250 cartons, there has been a loss of 17 crore 72 lakh 3 thousand 711 rupees in Morang.

On the other hand, 23 thousand 90 chickens, 97 thousand 450 eggs, 10 thousand 465 kg fodder, 24 crates and 120 cartons have been destroyed in Jhapa district. A total loss of 3 crore 34 lakh 23 thousand 535 rupees has been incurred in Jhapa.

In total, 4 lakh 12 thousand 954 chickens, 6 lakh 2 thousand 155 eggs, 1 lakh 57 thousand 78 kg of fodder, 2 lakh 87 thousand 624 crates and 39 thousand 210 cartons have been destroyed in the three districts. Poultry businessmen in the three districts suffered a total loss of 50 crore 30 lakh 20 thousand 431 rupees.

https://hindi.ratopati.com/story/20663/bird-flu-crisis-in-koshi-province