Chickens were mass-culled at a poultry farm and hatchery in southeast India on January 28 after the lethal H5N1 bird flu virus was detected among the birds there.

More than 16,000 have been culled and 30,000 eggs destroyed after the highly contagious H5N1 virus was detected at the poultry farm and hatchery in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha.

The culling began a day the disease was first detected in the city, starting at the attached poultry farm of the University of Agriculture and Technology.

The immediate area around the farm was sealed and the surrounding 10km were designated a "Surveillance Zone".

Susen Panda Head Dept of Pathology OUAT commented: "Following the death of chicken in the research farm in the last 2-3 days, the blood and excreta samples were sent to the High-Security Animal Disease Laboratory (HSADL) in Bhopal.

The poultry birds and eggs within 1 km radius of the infected site were culled and disposed of. They were buried deep inside with application of disinfectants like lime and bleaching powder to check any further contamination. The process will continue for a few days."