With no sign of the avian influenza in Maharashtra yet, the state government has ordered that concerned authorities collect samples of the poultry and test them for the virus causing the bird flu.

In a revised guideline issued on Thursday, joint commissioner of Animal Husbandry, Disease Investigation Section, Pune, asked for the collection of samples of about 600-800 birds from each taluka, of which 145-190 would be tested for the virus.