NEW DELHI: More bird deaths were reported from some parts of the country on Friday amid cases of avian influenza, with the Haryana government planning to cull over 1.60 lakh birds in Panchkula district after samples tested positive for the disease, even as the Centre said that bird flu has been confirmed so far in six states.
The Centre said bird flu has been confirmed so far in Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Gujarat, and asked these six states to contain the disease as per the action plan.
Unusual mortality of 16 birds has also been reported at DDA park Hastsal Village in the national capital, and samples have been sent to a testing lab.”So far, the disease has been confirmed from six states (Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Gujarat).
“It is learnt that culling operations have been completed in both the affected districts of Kerala. The disinfection process is underway,” according to an official statement.
States that are still unaffected by Avian Influenza (AI) have been requested to keep a vigil on any unusual mortality among birds and to report immediately so that necessary measures are taken in the fastest possible time, it added.
Central teams have been deployed to visit the affected states of Kerala, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh for monitoring and for epidemiological investigation.
The government said that in Haryana, there has been confirmation of Avian Influenza positive samples from ICAR-NIHSAD in poultry (two poultry farms) of the Panchkula district.
Positive samples have also been reported in migratory birds in the Junagadh district, Gujarat, and in crows in Sawai Madhopur, Pali, Jaisalmer and Mohar districts of Rajasthan.
Therefore, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying has suggested the affected states to contain the disease as per the Action Plan on Avian Influenza.
Over 1.60 lakh birds of five poultry farms in Haryana’s Panchkula district are set to be culled as some poultry samples there have tested positive for the avian flu, Agriculture minister J P Dalal said on Friday.
The employees of these poultry farms too would be examined by the health department, Dalal further said, adding they would also be given anti-viral medicines.
Notably, over four lakh poultry birds died at some farms in Haryana’s Panchkula district over the past several days.
Fresh cases of birds death were reported in parts of Rajasthan, taking the tally to 2,166.
The avian influenza subtype H5N8 has been detected in 11 districts of the state, including state capital.
As per Animal Husbandry Department, 329 deaths of birds, including 223 crows, 11 peacocks, 55 pigeons and 40 others were reported in the state today.
