Bird Flu Scare In India

Bird flu status in Indian states

The Centre has imposed a bird flu alert to states after cases of H5N1 avian influenza were reported from several places across the country. The central has asked the states to take all possible steps to control the spread of bird flu “on an urgent basis”. It has warned that there is a possibility of bird flu spreading to humans and domesticated animals as well, so it is urgent to take an initiative and stop spreading across the country.

Here is a look at how bad the situation is in different states of India.

Himachal Pradesh

More than 2,300 migratory birds have died due to bird flu outbreak. Most of the birds to have died of H5N1 avian influenza are bar-headed geese in the Pong Dam reservoir area in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. Spread of avian influenza has been confirmed here by the forest officials. The Kangra district officials have imposed a complete ban on the sale, purchase and export of any poultry products including eggs, birds and meat, and fish of any breed or age in or from the affected areas. Himachal Pradesh, where the first serious alert came from has imposed several restrictions on movement of poultry products in the state amid virus.

Kerala

Cases of Bird flu has been reported from Kottayam and Alappuzha districts. Kerala Minister for Forests, Wildlife and Animal Husbandry K.Raju conformed that around 12,000 ducks died due to spread of bird flu in the state where as around 36,000 birds would be culled to avoid further spread of bird flu in Kerala. Trade of poultry meat and eggs has been banned in the affected districts in Kerala.

Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh has issued a bird flu alert following the deaths of a number of crows. Here, the bird flu outbreak has taken place due to the spread of H5N8 avian influenza virus. Virus has killed more than 375 crows in the districts of Indore, Mandsaur, Agar-Malwa, Khargone and Sehore. Samples tested at the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) disclosed the presence of the H5N8 in Indore and Mandsaur districts.

Rajasthan

Rajasthan more than 500 birds have lost their lives due to bird flu. Most of the victim birds have been crows. The authorities have stated that the first case of bird flu in Rajasthan surfaced on December 25 in the Jhalawar district. Now, bird flu has spread also to Kota, Baran, Bikaner, Dausa and Jodhpur districts. Samples sent to Bhopal-based NIHSAD have confirmed the spread of avian influenza caused by H5N1 strain of the amid virus in Rajasthan.

Haryana

Haryana has reported the death of around 4 lakh birds in the past 10 days in district of Panchkula following the authorities have issued an advisory on poultry products. Barwala-based poultry farms in the Hisar district of Haryana reported deaths of around 1.5 lakh birds in the past one week. Samples have been sent for testing at the Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (RDDL) in Jalandhar. Report is awaited for confirmation of bird flu. A team from RDDL visited Barwala for re-sampling of the birds for more clear and confirmed the virus.

Gujarat

On January 3 more than 50 birds were found dead in the Junagarh district of Gujarat setting off an alarm in the wake of bird flu scare in neighbouring states of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The forest officials sent the carcasses for examination.

The state governments of Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka have also issued a bird flu alert to districts asking the officials of the health and animal husbandry departments to monitor the situation and report any suspicious case of bird flu because it also effect the human also at end so take precautions in terms of safety. Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory have also stepped up towards monitoring of birds. Experts have collected samples from wetlands in the Jammu for bird flu testing for timely action against the spread of the disease.