Gorakhpur, May 19 -- The death of two more crows on Saturday evening and Sunday morning has heightened fears of a worsening avian influenza outbreak at the Gorakhpur Zoo that is closed for visitors till May 20.

Gorakhpur zoo deputy director Dr Yogesh Pratap Singh confirmed the discovery of the crow carcasses. He said both would be handed over to an expert team from the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) for pathological examination to confirm the presence of the bird flu virus.

A five-member expert panel will begin a two-day inspection on Monday.

A report on the avian influenza outbreak will be prepared following the inspection. The outbreak was initially confirmed by Bhopal-based National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases on May 12,...