Thursday, March 16 2006 09:58 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Jalgaon (Maharashtra): The Maharashtra Government yesterday(Mar 15,2006) said it is yet to identify the cause behind the outbreak of bird flu which had surfaced in Jalgaon after it was first detected in Nandurbar district in the state.

"We have not (not) yet ascertained the cause behind the outbreak of this disease (in poultry). Our current priority is to contain the spread of avian influenza virus further and prevent it from getting spilled over to humans," Maharashtra Chief Secretary D K Sankaran told sources here.

Though a senior state government official in an interview to sources after the Nandurbar outbreak had suspected the role of migratory birds for bird flu, Sankaran was non-committal.

He said the process to contain the spread of the virus had begun by following the mandatory procedures like culling the birds within and around the infected zone of Jalgaon.

"We are aware that ascertaining the cause of this disease is equally important. But that can be done later once the entire virus containment process is over," he said.