Chicken sales have dropped in the local market in recent days in Nepal due to the fear of bird flu despite the fact that Nepali chickens are free from avian influenza.

"Despite the fact Nepal hasn't yet traced strains of the deadly bird flu, domestic poultry industry of Nepal has already started feeling the heat," president of Nepal Hatchery Association Gun Chandra Bista told reporters here on Wednesday.

Avian influenza viruses do not normally infect species other than birds and pigs but people were scared to consume following reports of the deadly disease, the president said.

It is believed that most cases of H5N1 infection in humans have resulted from contact with infected poultry, uncooked poultry products, or contaminated surfaces. But Nepalese cooking method of meat makes the possibility of the infection next to nil, he said.

With the news about the outbreak of the bird flu breaking in Southeast Asia and some parts of Europe, both the sales and prices of poultry products in the local market have declined alarmingly, Bista added.

As a precautionary measure of outbreak of strain, Nepal has already imposed a ban on the import of chicken.

The government has established a central laboratory, which is on red alert 24 hours. Veterinary stations in 16 districts of northern belt of the country and 24 districts of the belt are on red alert, he added.

Source: Xinhua