Maharashtra: Nine districts report flu in poultry birds

THE NATIONAL Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal, a nodal body for testing bird flu cases, on Friday confirmed the cause of poultry birds’ (chicken) death in Nanded, Pune, Solapur, Yavatmal, Ahmednagar, Beed and Raigad districts to be bird flu or avian influenza.

The number of districts in Maharashtra with confirmed bird flu in poultry birds has risen to nine.

The central laboratory has confirmed to the state  animal husbandry department that the poultry birds died owing to H5N1 virus, a highly pathogenic avian influenza that causes severe respiratory diseases in birds, in all the nine districts.

Also, dead poultry samples from three more villages in Latur district and two more villages in Parbhani districts tested positive (H5N1) for avian influenza on Friday.

On December 10, Parbhani and Latur had confirmed avian influenza in poultry birds, while samples of dead crows and herons had tested positive for bird flu (H5N1) in Mumbai, Thane, Dapoli (Ratnagiri) and Beed (H5N8). While affected villages in Parbhani and Latur districts were declared “infected zone” and culling of poultry birds was ordered, in remaining districts, surveillance was directed.

As of Friday, 12 districts in the state have bird flu cases. Poultry birds’ samples from Akola, Beed (Dhekhnmoha, Pali villages), Amravati and Ahmednagar (Pathardi village), tested negative for avian influenza.

According to the containment plan, prepared by the Centre, the local administration will cull poultry birds within 1-km radius of the particular poultry farm where bird deaths have been found due to avian influenza.

A surveillance zone within a periphery of 10km will be created which means no birds can be sold or purchased in this area. As a precaution, the particular village where the affected poultry farm is situated, will be declared a prohibited area, preventing entry and exit of anyone, including local villagers. A medical team must be set up to examine locals.

As of Friday, the animal husbandry department culled 3,443 poultry birds in Parbhani (Murumba village) and 11,092 in Kendrewadi, Ahmedpur, Sukani and Udgir in Latur district.

Meanwhile, to allay the fears of eating poultry products, many districts in the state organised chicken and egg festival.