India could adopt the Brazilian model while formulating steps to check spread of bird flu to other parts of the country, according to poultry and veterinary scientists.

"India should develop a Brazialian model by zoning the area of infection and keeping other areas as free zones for export business and internal consumption," they said.

• Bird flu hits India 

"For example, now the entire south India can be declared as bird flu disease free zone and exports could be carried out," Dr Shrinivas Gowda, vice-chancellor of Karnataka Veterinary Animal and Fishery Sciences, University of Bangalore, and Dr G P Sen, Prof emeritus and founder president of Association of Public Health Veterinarian, said at a day-long seminar held in Mumbai Monday at Bombay Veterinary College, poultry science department.

The scientists also recommended that before declaring any outbreak, there should be confirmation tests, exhausting all possible tests prescribed by World Organisation for Animal Health.

Saying that the Bhopal's High Security Animal Disease Laboratory has a P-3 capacity and was set up 10 years ago by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Dr A S Ranade, university head of poultry science, Maharashtra Animal Husbandry and Fishery Sciences University, said the laboratory is World Health Organisation recognised and there was no doubt about its authentic results.

According to WHO guideleines, for declaring an outbreak, two per cent of total bird population has to be tested, out of which 50 per cent should have the infection, he said.