Avian Influenza Ravages Kathmandu Valley: Over 600,000 Birds Culled and Meat Sales Plunge by 30%

The Kathmandu Valley has emerged as the primary epicenter of a highly complex and sensitive avian influenza (bird flu) outbreak, according to the Department of Animal Services. Unlike previous years, the current strain has broken biosecurity boundaries to infect not only commercial poultry but also native backyard chickens and wild crows, signaling environmental contamination. In a bid to contain the contagion, rapid response teams have executed massive biosecurity protocols, destroying over 600,000 chickens, 1 million eggs, and 207,000 kg of feed across the country—with over 90% of the impact concentrated within Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur. While no human transmissions have been reported in Nepal during this wave, psychological fear has caused chicken meat consumption in the Valley to plummet by 20 to 30 percent, cutting daily sales by up to 90,000 kg. Health experts assure that the virus dies at high temperatures and advise consumers that poultry products cooked thoroughly above 70 degrees Celsius remain completely safe for consumption.