The central government today said bird flu cases have been reported from four areas in Maharashtra, and it has ordered culling of 75,000 birds in the region to prevent its spread."We have decided to cull 75,000 birds following confirmation of bird flu cases," Upma Chawdhry, joint secretary in the department of animal husbandry, said today.She said 50 rapid response teams would be deployed to monitor and provide assistance in the areas around Jalgaon in Maharashtra. Quarantine area is spread over 1,250 sq kms around the area.In reply to a query, Chawdhry said one of the four cases related to commercial poultry and all of them were pertaining to backyard poultry.She said the samples were sent to the Bhopal laboratory on February 25 for tests.
