More than 600,000 chickens have been culled from infected farms, along with millions of eggs and large quantities of poultry feed. Authorities say containment efforts are becoming increasingly difficult as the outbreak spreads rapidly across the Kathmandu Valley.

What you should know

Bird flu has spread to more than 50 locations across Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, and Lalitpur, making control efforts difficult.
The Central Zoo has been closed indefinitely after infections were detected, with dozens of rare birds dying.
The outbreak is mainly affecting local poultry, while delays in farmer compensation are increasing the risk of further spread.

Authorities say bird flu has spread simultaneously across more than 50 locations in the Kathmandu Valley, making containment increasingly challenging.

The Department of Livestock Services has deployed four technical teams to cull chickens and ducks at farms where avian influenza (H5N1) has been confirmed.

Officials said the scale of the outbreak is unusually large for the valley. Even small backyard poultry farms have now been affected.

Avian influenza viruses such as A (H5N1), A (H9N2), and A (H9N1), commonly known as bird flu viruses, are highly contagious and primarily affect domestic poultry such as chickens and ducks.

The outbreak, which began in eastern Nepal, has now spread across Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, and Lalitpur, including the Central Zoo.

At the zoo, dozens of birds including vultures, owls, swans, and cranes have died due to infection. Following confirmation of the virus in multiple animals, the zoo has been closed indefinitely.

The zoo normally attracts thousands of visitors daily, but authorities have suspended all public entry until further notice.

Officials say this is the first time such a large-scale disease outbreak has affected the Central Zoo.

Investigations suggest the virus may have entered through wild birds such as crows, with possible lapses in biosecurity contributing to its spread.

Authorities also confirmed that several wild animals, including jungle cats and civets, tested positive for the virus.

Under standard protocol, infected poultry farms are fully depopulated, including birds, eggs, feed, and waste, followed by disinfection and movement restrictions for at least 42 days.

However, implementing these measures has been difficult in densely populated residential areas where backyard poultry farming is common.

So far, more than 600,000 chickens have been destroyed, along with millions of eggs and large quantities of feed.

Officials report that outbreaks have been confirmed in at least 10 districts nationwide. The valley outbreak is mainly driven by the H5N1 strain, with most cases found in local chicken varieties.

Authorities say controlling the spread in urban settlements remains a major challenge due to constant human and animal movement.

Even after containment, decisions will be made on whether backyard poultry farming can continue in residential areas.

Bird flu has been recurring in Nepal since 2009, causing the destruction of millions of birds over the years. Many farmers have stopped poultry farming due to lack of compensation, while others continue to wait for relief.

Officials say compensation for affected farmers has still not been fully distributed. Experts warn that delays increase the risk of infected poultry entering markets as farmers attempt to reduce losses.

Nepal recorded its first human death from bird flu in 2019 involving a 21-year-old poultry transport worker from Kavrepalanchok, later confirmed to be caused by avian influenza.