Ma'aleh Hahamisha culling begins

Deadly bird flu virus discovered at the Kibbutz on the previous day.

bird flu turkeys 298.88 (photo credit: AP)
bird flu turkeys 298.88
(photo credit: AP)
Veterinary services have begun culling poultry at Kibbutz Ma'aleh Hahamisha after the deadly bird flu virus was discovered in their coops on the previous day. By the end of the operation, 300,000 birds were to be killed on the Jerusalem-area kibbutz. The discovery came just two days after Agriculture Minister Ze'ev Boim lavished the health services with praises on how quickly they took control over the potentially dangerous outbreak. On Sunday, Boim noted that Israel took action more quickly than other countries in the world faced with a flu outbreak. Briefing the cabinet on how Israel combated the flu, he said that in nine days some 1.2 million poultry from 53 chicken farms in 14 different communities were destroyed and buried.