New Delhi: The news of sudden death of over 100 crows in Delhi’s Mayur Vihar Phase III area has stirred panic in the national capital amid a nationwide bird flu scare, reported News18. A team of doctors rushed to the A-2 Central Park on Friday after hundreds of crows reportedly fell dead in flight.
A bird flu outbreak has so far been confirmed in Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh, but many other states have been put on alert as a precautionary measure.
Recently, a video where the crows can be seen falling to death went viral on social media.
As panic ensued, a team of two doctors reached the park on Friday to inspect and has collected samples for the laboratory test.
A resident of the area told News18 Hindi that a doctor told him that the death could be either due to cold or flu, and that can only be found out after a proper lab test.
Meanwhile, the Residents’ Welfare Association has accused the administration of negligence, claiming that crows have been dying for the past three days now.
An unusual mortality of poultry, crows, migratory birds has been reported from Kerala, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh.
The Secretary in the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying held a meeting with the states to understand the status of the outbreak of avian influenza (bird flu) and to suggest measures for control, containment and prevention of spread of the disease, an official statement said.
“So far, the disease has been confirmed only from four states (Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh). Culling operations are underway in the affected districts of Kerala,” the statement said.
The Centre has already issued advisories to the affected states regarding increasing and intensifying surveillance for unusual mortality of birds including wild/migratory birds.
It has also established a central control room to strategize, co- ordinate and facilitate state governments with regard to outbreak management, disease control and containment.
Moreover, two central teams have been deployed to visit the affected states of Kerala, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh for monitoring and for epidemiological investigation.
That apart, the department along with Secretary, National Disaster Management Authority held a meeting with all states’ officials of the Health Department, Animal Husbandry Department and State Disaster Management authorities to take stock of preparedness and to advise on intensive surveillance in affected areas.
“Awareness among poultry farmers and the general public (consumers of eggs and chicken) about the disease is of foremost importance. So states have been asked to quell consumer reactions, affected by rumours and increase awareness regarding safety of poultry or poultry products that were safe for consumption following boiling/cooking procedures,” the statement said.
(With inputs from PTI)