June 19, 2024

 

More cases of bird flu in Alappuzha, Kerala, India

 

 

Bird flu has spread to more places in Alappuzha, Kerala, India.

 

Officials on June 13 said a fresh outbreak of the disease was confirmed in chickens at a poultry farm at ward 10 (Chathanad) in Kanjikuzhy and crows at ward 4 (Ayurveda Hospital) in Muhamma grama panchayats.

 

Following the mass bird deaths at those places, the Animal Husbandry department (AHD) sent samples to the National Institute of High-Security Animal Disease (NIHSAD), Bhopal, for analyses, which confirmed avian influenza.

 

Officials said that as part of containment measures, rapid response teams of the AHD would cull birds, including domesticated one, within a 1-km radius of the two hotspots in the coming days.

 

Meanwhile, mass bird deaths have been reported from a broiler chicken farm in ward 15 (Kurikkachira) in Cherthala municipality. AHD officials said that samples had been sent to NIHSAD for examination and they were awaiting results.

 

Avian flu (H5N1) has been reported in 17 places in Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta and Kottayam districts since April this year. In Alappuzha, the disease has been detected in 12 places.

 

Meanwhile, Animal Husbandry Minister J. Chinchurani assembled an expert team to study bird flu outbreaks in the three districts. The team members include scientists from the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University and experts from the State Institute for Animal Diseases and the Avian Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at Thiruvalla.

 

Chinchurani said the outbreak was under control. Bird flu resulted in the death of 29,120 birds in three districts in the past two months. Another 1,02,758 birds, mostly ducks, were culled as part of containment measures.

 

Additionally, 14,732 eggs and 15,221kg of feed were destroyed.

 

- The Hindu