Bird Flu: Kerala to cull 48,000 birds, Himachal 4th state to report avian influenza

After more cases of Bird Flu were reported from Kerala, State Minister of Forests, Wildlife Protection and Animal husbandry K Raju announced that 48,000 birds will be culled in the state to nip the avian deaths. Earlier in the day, parts of Kottayam and Alappuzha districts reported cases of bird flu with five of the eight samples confirmed for the virus.

Around 12,000 ducks have died in Kerala spreading the scare of the H5N8 virus across other districts of the state. Following the scare, the Kerala Government has arrived upon the decision to cull over 40,000 birds including ducks and hens with K Raju assuring compensation to the farmers whose domestic birds will be culled. 

Meanwhile, the states of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh are also witnessing a bird flu alert after the presence of the dreaded virus was confirmed in dead crows in Jhalawar and more avian deaths were reported in other districts, including Jaipur. 

Bird flu has also been confirmed in dead migratory birds in Himachal Pradesh's Kangra after 1,800 migratory birds were found dead at Pong Dam Lake. Himachal Pradesh is the fourth state to report cases of the dreaded avian influenza. Under Sections 34 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the movement of locals and tourists within a kilometer radius of Pong Dam has been restricted. Kangra District Magistrate Rakesh Prajapati has also prohibited slaughtering, sale, purchase and export of any poultry, birds, fish of any breed and their related products, including eggs, meat, chicken, etc, in Fatehpur, Dehra, Jawali and Indora subdivisions of the district. 

Read: Rajasthan: Avian Flu Hits Jhalawar District As Nearly 50 Crows Drop Dead, Sec 144 Imposed

Read: Bird Flu Outbreak In 2 Kerala Districts

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 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: Bird Flu Alert In Rajasthan After Crow Deaths Reported In Several Districts

Read: France: Ministry Confirms H5N8 Avian Influenza Outbreak In Duck Farm; All Infected Culled

(With Agency Inputs)