Avian flu outbreak reported in Himachal, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan

Avian flu outbreak: The Bird flu infection was identified in a few parts of India. As per recent reports, birds in enormous numbers have been mysteriously dying all across India. Bird influenza is a highly serious and infectious respiratory sickness in fowls brought about by the H5N1 flu virus, which can infect people too as per the World Health Organization (WHO).

In Himachal Pradesh, the Kangra district magistrate ordered a total ban on the sale/export/purchase of any poultry/birds/fish and related items like eggs, chicken, etc in Dehra, Fatehpur, Indora, and Jawali districts in Kangra. 

Human movement is not allowed within a 1 km radius of Pong Dam or zones that are announced by Kangra district admin, stated the official order. 

In Haryana, around 1 lakh poultry birds were reported dead in Barwala, while in Rajasthan, the demise of various crows in Jhalawar has been connected to avian flu. Tests of certain ducks in Kerala have additionally apparently tried positive for the bird influenza. 

Head Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Archana Sharma expressed that a confirmation report by 

National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases

(NIHSAD) is awaited as it is the nodal body for identifying this infection, She added that the Northern Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Jalandhar has additionally found avian flu in the bird samples. 

More than 90% of the dead fowls were Bar-Headed Geese, the most widely recognized migratory birds at the lake that fly from Russia, Central Asia, Mongolia, and different areas in winters after crossing the Himalayas, Sharma added.

The bird flu flare-up has also been reported from certain parts of the Alappuzha and Kottayam districts in Kerala. The government has issued an order to ban the use of ducks, hens, and other homegrown fowls in and around a one km range of the influenced zones. 

As per a PTI report, Kottayam district officials stated that H5N1 was first detected in duck farms in Neendoor, which has killed around 1,500 ducks. A similar flare-up was additionally reported from Kuttanad and Alappuzha district as well. 

The state of Rajasthan reported 170 new bird deaths on Monday. According to the Animal Husbandry department, reports of more than 425 passings of crows, herons were observed in the region, PTI reported. 

Bird flu has been affirmed in Jhalawar, more reports are yet to come, “the National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) expressed”. 

As per the bird flu protocols, the dead birds are disposed of, the authorities stated, adding that no such deaths have been found so far in other water bodies in the state.