<span style="color: #222222;">With the death of 185 birds, mostly poultry, spread across Thane, Akola and Aurangabad districts of Maharashtra in the last 24 hours; the state government is maintaining a high degree of to ensure containment of bird flu. According to an official statement, samples are being sent to National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal and Disease Investigation Section, Pune for testing and district collectors have been ordered to start destroying poultry within one kilometer of the infected farm.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">AIR Correspondent reports, Maharashtra has culled a total of 3,10,741 poultry birds, including over two lakh birds from Navapur in Nandurbar district, to contain the spread of bird flu. While destroying over 45,000 eggs and over 64 thousand kilograms of poultry feed, the state government has paid compensation of close to Rs 42 lakh to poultry farmers in infected zones. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The state has urged poultry farmers to follow strict bio-security measures and asked chicken shop owners to maintain hygiene besides using gloves and masks. Reiterating that boiled eggs and properly cooked chicken are safe for consumption, Maharashtra Government has urged citizens not to believe in rumours and misconceptions. </span><br />''