New Delhi: The bird flu outbreak has also been confirmed in Maharashtra. “Over 800 chickens in Murumba village died due to bird flu. District administration had sent blood samples of dead chickens to National Laboratory. Reports confirm that the chickens died of bird flu”, news agency ANI quoted Deepak Mughlikar, District Collector, Parbhan as saying.
He stated that all birds in poultry farms within a one-kilometer radius of Muramba village, will be culled. “Sale & purchase of birds within a 10-km radius is suspended. All people in the village are being tested for the virus and a medical team is present.”
Furthermore, he asserted that there is no danger to human life. “We have started checking people as well. There is no fear of transmission to humans”, Mughlikar added.
Later in the day, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will chair a meeting to review the bird flu situation in the state.
Earlier the Centre’s Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying had confirmed the outbreak in seven states — Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. The Department has also issued advisories to the affected states to avoid further spread of disease.
Meanwhile, the central teams formed for monitoring the situation in the affected areas of the country are visiting the affected sites. One of the central teams reached Kerala on January 9 and is presently monitoring the epicentre sites and conducting epidemiological investigation. Another central team reached Himachal Pradesh on January 10 and is undertaking survey in the affected areas.
The Centre has asked states to build awareness among the public and avoid the spread of misinformation regarding avian influenza.
“States/Union Territories have been requested to increase surveillance around water bodies, live bird markets, zoos, poultry farms, etc., proper disposal of carcass, and strengthening of bio-security in poultry farms,” the statement said.