News Analysis India

Tag: Bird Flu

  • Kanpur zoo shut after bird flu confirmed in dead fowls

    By PTI
    KANPUR: The Kanpur Zoological Park has been closed for visitors till further orders after samples taken from two dead birds found there tested positive for the avian influenza virus, an official said on Sunday.

    The area up to one kilometre of the zoo has been declared an infected zone and the culling of birds has begun there, said Additional District Magistrate (City) Atul Kumar.

    “Four fowls and two parrots were found dead in the zoo in the last five days. Of these, two birds tested positive,” Kumar said.

    According to the official, the samples of dead birds were sent to the animal disease laboratory in Bhopal which confirmed the presence of H-5 strain of bird flu in them.

    “The zoo has been closed for visitors and morning walkers. The hospital enclosure where the infected birds had been placed has also been shut down,” Kumar said.

    An area of 10 kilometres around the zoo has been cordoned off and declared containment zone for an indefinite period by the authorities and shops selling chicken and eggs there have been asked to down shutters for an indefinite period, an official said.

    “We have imposed an indefinite ban on the transportation and entry of poultry products including live birds, unprocessed poultry meat in the district as a precautionary measure,” District Magistrate Alok Tiwari said.

    “We have taken the decisions after marathon discussion with the officials of Kanpur zoo, health department, animal husbandry and veterinary doctors,” he said.

    Meanwhile, section 144 of CrPC has been imposed to curb the spread of bird flu in the district, Kumar said.

    The process of disinfecting all poultry farms in the radius of one kilometre of the zoo has started and teams have been formed to inspect shops selling raw chicken and mutton, he said.

    Strict instructions have also been issued to make adequate arrangements for the disposal of dead birds, he added.

    “We have also issued an advisory to keep a strict watch on unusual sickness or mortality in poultry birds and wild or migratory birds,” ADM said.

  • These foreign birds are at risk of bird flu

    If there is no knock of bird flu in the district through the sky, it is also being monitored. For this, veterinary departments are keeping watch in the favorite centers of arrival of migratory birds. These include Kanaki and Darri Barrage in Korba district. Small water chickens and black ibis are also to come in the pass barrage in Kanaki where open bill stark reaches in large numbers. In such a situation, if the infection of bird flu does not reach Korba, continuous inspection is being done in both these areas. Every day the departmental staff reached Kanki and Darri Dame and took stock of the birds.

    Chhattisgarh is also on alert for vigilance in Chhattisgarh after the bird flu knock in many states of the country. Monitoring has been started by the Veterinary Department, so that once the flu is detected in any way, its preventive action can be ensured immediately. In this sequence, different teams of the department are monitoring different areas of the district. The maximum is being concentrated in those two places, where migratory birds congregate every year.

  • Bird flu cases confirmed in 13 Madhya Pradesh districts so far: Official 

    A poultry market in Agar Malwa district has been shut for a week after the bird flu virus was detected in one sample there, the official from the public relations department said.

  • Bird flu reported at Kanpur Zoological Park, closed for 15 days

    By ANI
    KANPUR: A case of bird flu has been detected at Kanpur Zoological Park on Saturday, said Zoo Director Dr Sunil Choudhary. The zoo has been closed for visitors for 15 days, he added. Authorities will send more samples of birds in the coming days, Choudhary added.

    Kanpur Zoological Park authorities on Friday increased the monitoring as four birds were found dead in the premises on January 6. The samples have been sent to the Animal Disease Laboratory of Bhopal under high security.

    In the wake of the mortality of poultry, crows, and migratory birds from the states of Kerala, Karnataka, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh, the Centre has suggested measures to states and Union Territories to prevent the spread of the disease.

    The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying in a release said that the states which have so far reported cases of avian influenza include Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh.

  • Bird flu confirmed in seven states; samples from Delhi, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh sent for testing

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Centre on Saturday said the outbreak of bird flu or avian influenza has been reported in Uttar Pradesh, taking the total number of affected states to seven. However, the confirmation of bird flu in Delhi, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra, is awaited as the samples have been sent for testing, it said.

    Besides Uttar Pradesh, the other six states where bird flu is confirmed are Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Gujarat. “So far, the disease has been confirmed from seven states….The Department has issued advisory to the affected states so as to avoid further spread of the disease,” the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying said in a statement.

    In Chhattisgarh, reports of unusual mortality of birds in poultry and wild birds in Balod district were reported on Friday night and Saturday morning. The samples have been sent to the labs concerned. In Delhi, reports of unusual mortality in ducks were received from Sanjay lake and the samples have been sent for testing, it said.

    Similarly in Maharashtra, the samples of dead crows from Mumbai, Thane, Dapoli, Parbhani and Beed districts have been sent to Bhopal-based ICAR-National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (ICAR-NIHSAD), it added.

    ALSO READ| Bird flu: 10 ducks found dead at Delhi’s Sanjay Lake; samples sent for testing

    “After confirmation of Avian Influenza positive samples from ICAR-NIHSAD in poultry (two poultry farms) of Panchkula district, Haryana, positive cases of Avian Influenza in migratory birds were reported in Shivpuri, Rajgarh, Shajapur, Agar, Vidisha district of Madhya Pradesh, Zoological Park, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh and Pratapgarh and Dausa districts of Rajasthan,” the ministry said.

    On the status of culling operation, the ministry said it has been completed in two affected districts of Kerala. Central teams have reached Kerala, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh for monitoring/ epidemiological investigation.

    The Centre has also asked state governments to ensure effective communication and coordination with health authorities for close vigilance on the outbreak and to avoid any chances of spreading of the disease to humans.

    ALSO READ| No reports of bird flu in Tripura, confirms state government

    States have been asked to increase surveillance around water bodies, live bird markets, zoos and poultry farms and also to ensure proper disposal of carcass, and strengthening of bio-security in poultry farms. They have also been asked to be prepared for any eventuality of avian influenza and ensure sufficient stock of PPE kits and accessories required for culling operations.

    “Chief Secretaries/Administrators were requested to arrange to issue appropriate advisories to quell consumer reactions, affected by rumours and increase awareness regarding safety of poultry or poultry products that are safe for consumption following boiling/ cooking procedures,” the statement added.

    Meanwhile, the anxiety over spread of the disease has hit the poultry industry as prices of eggs and broiler chicken have fallen owing to decline in demand.

  • No reports of bird flu in Tripura, confirms state government

    By ANI
    AGARTALA: No reports of bird flu have been reported in Tripura so far, the Animal Resources Development department informed on Saturday amid reports of avian influenza in several parts of the country.

    This confirmation comes after chickens were found dead in Udaipur and Bishalgarh.

    According to Santana Chakma, the state’s Social Welfare and Social Education and Animal Resource Development Minister, the death of the chickens was due to bacteria and duck plaque.

    “There has been panic among common people after reports of deaths of chicken and hens were reported in Udaipur and Bishalgarh. But from the lab test it has been found that these deaths were due to bacteria and duck plaque,” Chakma told ANI.

    She added that the department is keeping vigil on the movement of poultry birds through the entry point Churaibari at the Tripura-Assam border, besides maintaining strict vigil across the Tripura-Bangladesh international border.

    The movement of hens, chicken, ducks and eggs is allowed in the state but only after proper checking.

    Chakma further informed that an emergency helpline has been set up by the ARDD and officials are collecting samples across the state to test for the disease.

    The minister also clarified that consuming eggs and poultry meat is safe after properly boiling.

    “Consuming eggs and poultry meat is safe after proper boiling but unfortunately due to misinformation there is panic among the common people about bird flu, which has affected the price of eggs and poultry meat in the market,” she said.

    Chakma added that if required, samples will also be sent outside the state to test for bird flu.

    Avian influenza, is a viral infection affecting birds that has caused thousands of deaths across India. The disease has been confirmed in Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Gujarat.

    The Centre on Friday requested states and Union Territories to increase awareness regarding the safety of poultry and poultry products. It also issued appropriate advisories to restore consumer confidence affected by rumours.

  • Bird flu: 10 ducks found dead at Delhi’s Sanjay Lake; samples sent for testing

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Ten ducks were found dead at east Delhi’s Sanjay Lake on Saturday, a day after 17 crows were reported dead at the Central Park of Mayur Vihar Phase III, an official said here.

    The lake will be closed till further notice, the official added.

    “We have found 10 dead ducks at Sanjay Lake, samples of which have been sent to the lab for testing,” Dr Rakesh Singh of the Department of Animal Husbandry told PTI.

    Over the last few days, at least 50 birds, including 35 crows, have died in the national capital, adding to the threat of a bird flu.

    “We received information about the death of crows in Dwarka, Mayur Vihar Phase 3 and Hastsal village in west Delhi.

    However, it is yet to be ascertained if bird flu infection is the reason,” Singh had said earlier.

    He added that the first test reports will be available on Monday.

    The collected samples will be sent to the National Institute of High Security Animal Disease, ICAR, Bhopal, on Saturday, a statement from the department said.

    On Friday, the Centre said that bird flu has been confirmed so far in six states — Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Gujarat.

  • Bird flu: Assam bans entry of poultry products from outside Northeastern

    By PTI
    GUWAHATI: The Assam government has imposed an indefinite ban on the entry of poultry products from outside the Northeastern region as a precautionary measure following avian flu outbreak in some states.

    The ban comes into force with immediate effect and will remain in effect until further orders, according to a notification issued by the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary department.

    However, there is no need to panic as the state has not reported any confirmed case of the bird flu so far, director of the state veterinary department Ashok Barman said.

    ALSO READ: Government says avian flu confirmed in six states; over 1.6 lakh birds to be culled in Haryana

    Assam imports poultry products from other parts of the country, especially Eastern India, but officials said there will not be a shortage of chicken due to the large scale local production and storage.

    The government has imposed a “temporary ban on entry of poultry as a precautionary measure through western border of the State in the interest of prevailing escalation of the disease to Assam and other Northeastern states”, the notification said.

    This has been done due to the outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza in some parts of the country which is a highly contagious avian disease having zoonotic potential, it added.

    ALSO READ: Punjab issues advisory for surveillance of poultry farms, wetlands amid bird flu scare

    Advisories have already been issued to the authorities concerned for strengthening the active and targeted surveillance against the disease.

    “Poultry products are usually imported to the state from West Bengal, Bihar, Rajasthan, UP among others and we have decided to ban it temporarily as infected birds should not be allowed to come to Assam,” Barman said.

    The Centre has asked the states that are still unaffected by avian flu to keep a vigil on any unusual mortality of birds.

    ALSO READ: Bird flu – Madhya Pradesh govt bans chicken trade with some southern states

    The disease has so far been confirmed from six states – Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Gujarat.

  • Government says avian flu confirmed in six states; over 1.6 lakh birds to be culled in Haryana

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: More bird deaths were reported from some parts of the country on Friday amid cases of avian influenza, with the Haryana government planning to cull over 1.60 lakh birds in Panchkula district after samples tested positive for the disease, even as the Centre said that bird flu has been confirmed so far in six states.

    The Centre said bird flu has been confirmed so far in Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Gujarat, and asked these six states to contain the disease as per the action plan.

    Unusual mortality of 16 birds has also been reported at DDA park Hastsal Village in the national capital, and samples have been sent to a testing lab.

    ALSO READ: Punjab issues advisory for surveillance of poultry farms, wetlands amid bird flu scare

    “So far, the disease has been confirmed from six states (Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Gujarat).

    “It is learnt that culling operations have been completed in both the affected districts of Kerala. The disinfection process is underway,” according to an official statement.

    States that are still unaffected by Avian Influenza (AI) have been requested to keep a vigil on any unusual mortality among birds and to report immediately so that necessary measures are taken in the fastest possible time, it added.

    ALSO READ: Bird flu – Over 69,000 birds culled in Kerala’s Alappuzha, Kottayam

    Central teams have been deployed to visit the affected states of Kerala, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh for monitoring and for epidemiological investigation.

    The government said that in Haryana, there has been confirmation of Avian Influenza positive samples from ICAR-NIHSAD in poultry (two poultry farms) of the Panchkula district.

    Positive samples have also been reported in migratory birds in the Junagadh district, Gujarat, and in crows in Sawai Madhopur, Pali, Jaisalmer and Mohar districts of Rajasthan.

    ALSO READ: Bird flu – Madhya Pradesh govt bans chicken trade with some southern states

    Therefore, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying has suggested the affected states to contain the disease as per the Action Plan on Avian Influenza.

    Over 1.60 lakh birds of five poultry farms in Haryana’s Panchkula district are set to be culled as some poultry samples there have tested positive for the avian flu, Agriculture minister J P Dalal said on Friday.

    The employees of these poultry farms too would be examined by the health department, Dalal further said, adding they would also be given anti-viral medicines.

    ALSO READ: Government confirms bird flu cases in Rajasthan, Kerala, Himachal and MP

    Notably, over four lakh poultry birds died at some farms in Haryana’s Panchkula district over the past several days.

    Fresh cases of birds death were reported in parts of Rajasthan, taking the tally to 2,166.

    The avian influenza subtype H5N8 has been detected in 11 districts of the state, including state capital.

    As per Animal Husbandry Department, 329 deaths of birds, including 223 crows, 11 peacocks, 55 pigeons and 40 others were reported in the state today.

    Around 50 birds, mostly crows, have died in the national capital over the last three to four days amid a bird flu scare, officials said.

    “We received information about the death of crows in Dwarka and Mayur Vihar Phase 3 and of a few wild birds in Hastsal in West Delhi. However, it is yet to be ascertained if bird flu infection is the reason,” Dr. Rakesh Singh from the animal husbandry unit of the Development Department said.

    Around 50 birds have died in these areas over the last three to four days, he said.

    Amid a bird flue scare, shops selling poultry meat in the national capital have recorded have recorded 20-25 per cent dip in sales of chicken over the last few weeks.

    Four crows were found dead in Chhattisgarh’s Balod district, officials said.

    Samples of three of them were sent for laboratory testing to ascertain the cause of death, they said.

    The district administration has alerted people associated with backyard and commercial poultry to report immediately to the nearest veterinary centre if they witness unexplained death in birds, the officials said.

    The death of four crows was reported from Pondi village, located around 13 km away from Balod town, in the last two days, Collector Janmejay Mahobe said.

    The cause of their deaths was not immediately known and their samples have been sent to the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal, for testing to check if they died due to bird flu, he said.

    Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said the state government is fully alert to deal with bird flu and there is monitoring of the areas around Pog Dam where over 3,400 birds have died so far.

    He chaired a review meeting for bird flu preparedness and said that the district administration, animal husbandry and wildlife departments should work to prevent the spread its spread.

    “So far, 3,410 migratory birds have died due to bird flu in Pong Dam area of Kangra district and these birds are being buried with full protocol so that there is no risk of infection at any stage,” he said.

    The chief minister said 65 teams of the Animal Husbandry Department and the Wildlife Department are monitoring the areas around Pong Dam.

    Gujarat recorded its first confirmed cases of bird flu infection after samples of two dead birds from Junagadh district tested positive, an official said.

    The two birds, lapwings, had been rescued on January 3 from an area near Kharo Dam in Manavadar tehsil of the district, but they later died due to illness, said Dr D D Panera, Deputy Director, Animal Husbandry division, Junagadh.

    The Punjab government banned import of poultry birds from other states with immediate effect till January 15.

  • Punjab bans import of poultry items

    By PTI
    CHANDIGARH: The Punjab government on Friday banned the import of poultry birds from other states with immediate effect till January 15.

    “The government of Punjab imposes complete ban on import of live birds, including poultry and unprocessed poultry meat, for any purpose into the state of Punjab,” the order issued by the state Animal Husbandry Department stated.

    ALSO READ: Bird flu – Madhya Pradesh govt bans chicken trade with some southern states

    The decision will be reviewed based on the evolving situation, it said.

    The state government also declared the whole state a ‘controlled area’ in view of the outbreak of avian influenza in the neighbouring states, an official release said.

    Additional Chief Secretary V K Janjua has said both the decisions were taken in consultation with Animal Husbandry Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa.