NEW DELHI, Dec 11 (NNN-PTI) – Authorities in the southern Indian state of Kerala, yesterday issued a warning, after bird flu (H5N1) cases, were found in some poultry farms in the state.
The cases of bird flu were found in the Kuttanad region on Thursday. Samples were sent to Bhopal’s National Institute of High Security Animal Disease, after the death of thousands of ducks.
Alappuzha, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts, fall in the Kuttanad region.
Local government officials intensified actions, to prevent the bird flu from spreading to other areas and ordered the culling of poultry birds, within a one km area of the epicentre where the cases were detected.
The district authorities in Alappuzha have banned the use and sale of eggs, meat and manure of ducks, chickens, quails and domestic birds in the affected areas, around a 12 km radius of the epicentre, to prevent further spread of the infection.
Meanwhile, rapid response teams from animal welfare department will be deployed in the areas where the cases have been confirmed, and preventive medicines will be distributed to people.
The local government has also directed forest department officials, to monitor and examine whether migrant birds were infected with the disease.
Bird flu cases were also reported in the state in July and Jan, this year.– NNN-PTI
