Amid bird flu scare, govt sets up control room to curb spread of virus - key updates
2 min read 06 Jan 2021, 12:50 PM ISTLakhs of birds have been found dead in the last 10 days after cases of H5N1 avian influenza were reported from several places across the country
PremiumIn a bid to curb the spread of the bird flu or avian flu viruses, the Central Government has set up a control room in the national capital to monitor the situation and take stock on a daily basis of the preventive and control measures undertaken by the state authorities.
The development happened after four states - Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala and Rajasthan - have confirmed bird flu, sounding an alert.
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Lakhs of birds have been found dead in the last 10 days after cases of H5N1 avian influenza were reported from several places across the country.
Let's take a look at the status of Avian Influenza in different states:
1) After confirmation of positive samples from ICAR-NIHSAD, Avian Influenza has been reported from the following states (at 12 epicentres) --
- Rajasthan (crow) – Baran, Kota, Jhalawar
- Madhya Pradesh (crow) – Mandsaur, Indore, Malwa
- Himachal Pradesh (migratory birds) - Kangra
- Kerala (poultry-duck) - Kottayam, Allapuzha (4 epicentres)
2) An advisory has been issued each to the states of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh on 1 January, so as to avoid further spread of the infection.
3) As per the latest update received from Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, control measures are being taken as per the guidelines of the National Action Plan of Avian Influenza.
4) Another advisory has been issued on 5 January to Himachal Pradesh where the state has been advised to take measures, so as to avoid further spread of disease to poultry. Over 2,300 migratory birds have died in Himachal due to the bird flu virus.
5) As per a report received, Kerala, where bird flu has been declared a state disaster, has already initiated control and containment operations at epicentres and culling process to avoid further spread of bird flu.
6) Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are also vigilant after 12,000 ducks died in the last few days in neighbouring Kerala. The Animal Husbandry Department in Karnataka has issued a general alert to all district collectors and put Dakshina Kannada, Mysuru, Madikeri and Udupi on high alert.
7) In the northern part of India, Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana, close to Himachal Pradesh, have also started investigating samples amid the bird flu scare. In Haryana, more than 4 lakh poultry birds have died at farms in Panchkula district in the past 10 days.
8) In Madhya Pradesh, officials said over 375 crows in the districts of Indore, Mandsaur, Agar-Malwa, Khargone and Sehore, died. The state has issued a bird flu alert following the deaths of a number of crows.
9) No cases have been reported in Maharashtra as of now, which shares borders with Madhya Pradesh.
10) The measures suggested to the affected states to contain the virus and prevent further spread as per the Action Plan on Avian Influenza include strengthening the biosecurity of poultry farms, disinfection of affected areas, proper disposal of dead birds/carcasses, timely collection and submission of samples for confirmation and further surveillance, intensification of surveillance plan as well as the general guidelines for the prevention of disease spread from affected birds to poultry and human. The government has also warned that there is a possibility of bird flu spreading to humans and domesticated animals.
