Bird flu: Ban on sale of poultry to continue for next 10 days in Kerala dists

The ban on the sale of poultry, meat and eggs will continue for 10 days in the affected areas of Kottayam and Alappuzha after Kerala declared the bird flu outbreak as a state-specific disaster.

"The H5N8 virus, which causes bird flu, is not transmitted to humans. But genetic mutations can happen. The vigil will continue for 10 days in districts that reported bird flu. Ban on sale of poultry, meat and eggs will continue in affected areas," said Kerala Animal Husbandry Minister K Raju.

Raju stated that the virus was brought to the state by migratory birds.

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"So far, 37,654 birds have been culled in Alappuzha and 7,229 birds were culled in Kottayam. Due to bird flu, 23,857 birds died in both districts. Mass culling process of birds will end tomorrow," said the minister.

Bird flu was reported from four panchayats--Nedumudi, Thakazhy, Pallippad and Karuvatta--in Kuttanad region of Alappuzha district and from a duck farm in Neendoor panchayat in Kottayam district.

Apart from the southern state, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Gujarat have also reported the virus.

Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday announced that it will not allow entry to chicken consignments from Kerala and other southern states for next 10 days.

"Bird flu symptoms were found in chickens in Kerala and other southern states. Therefore, we have decided that no chicken from these states will be allowed to enter Madhya Pradesh for the next 10 days," said MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

On Tuesday, an official report confirmed bird flu as the cause of mass death of crows in Mandsaur and Agar Malwa districts, after Indore.

The Centre has also issued a bird flu alert in several states in the wake of the sudden death of birds in large numbers, saying that the samples need to be collected from areas where bird flu cases are being reported.

The central government has launched a drive to identify those with suspected flu symptoms in those areas.