Bird Flu cases confirmed in poultry birds in 9 states, informs Animal Husbandry Ministry

The Union Ministry of Animal Husbandry on Friday informed that bird flu had spread across 12 states of India, out of which 9 states had reported the virus in poultry birds and the other 3 in crows, migratory and wild birds. According to the Ministry, avian influenza has spread to the states of Kerala, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. 

Launching rigorous awareness campaigns, states have gone all guns blazing in trying to control the outbreak undertaking awareness campaigns through newspaper advertisements and social media platforms, in a bid to inform the general public. The Centre on the other hand has held virtual meetings with the chief secretaries of the states and has deployed multi-disciplinary teams to affected districts to review the situation. 

In the latest, 11,200 birds were culled at the Alfa Poultry Farm in village Bhera in Derabassi, Punjab to curb the spread of the virus. Meanwhile, bird flu has spread to 17 districts of Rajasthan which have reported 6,290 avian deaths between December 25, 2020, and January 22, 2021.

Thousands of birds are being culled across the country with teams sedating the birds, culling them via cervical dislocation, and burying the infected birds in deep pits covered with lime.

Read: Bird Flu Outbreak: FSSAI Asks People Not To Eat Half-boiled Eggs & Other Do's And Don'ts

Read: Bird Flu In Poultry Confirmed In Few More Places In Maha, MP, Chhattisgarh

What is Avian Flu? 

Avian influenza is the disease caused by infection from avian birds - Type A viruses. The viruses are common amongst aquatic birds worldwide and domestic poultry including certain animal species that are extremely susceptible to the virus. Avian flu does not normally infect humans. However, sporadic infections with avian flu viruses have been reported in the past. The virus was first detected in 1996 in a Chinese goose and the first case of human infection was reported in 1997 in Hong Kong. Since then, cases of Avian Flu have been reported in more than 50 countries across Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. 

Read: Centre Says 'effectively Controlling' Spread Of Bird Flu; 11 States Affected So Far In All

Read: Bird Flu: Kerala To Cull 48,000 Birds, Himachal 4th State To Report Avian Influenza

(With Agency Inputs)