Bird flu confirmed in Maharashtra after poultry deaths at Thane farm

According to animal husbandry commissioner Sachindra Pratap Singh, there were approximately 200 poultry birds at the farm in Velhevali in Thane district’s Shahapur tehsil. When a few of the birds died on February 2, 5 and 10, the farm did not initially report the deaths. After it reported the deaths on February 10, samples were collected on February 11 and 13 and assessed at the animal husbandry department’s disease investigation section in Pune. The samples were also sent to the Indian Council for Agricultural Research’s National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal.

“We got confirmation last night that the birds were infected with avian influenza,” Singh told the Indian Express. While there is no lake or pond around the village that can attract migratory birds, he said department officials were trying to understand the route of transmission. “Awareness has brought to us real-time information – and a team of officials has been sent to the spot to assess the situation,” he said, adding that there was no need to panic because the officials were on alert to report any unusual mortality in birds.

Singh said that containment measures had been taken within a one-kilometre radius of the farm and that 23,800 birds counted. “Arrangements for culling have been made as per protocol. Sanitization measures are also in place,” Singh said. “All movement has been stopped so that nothing can escape that zone.”

A bird flu outbreak was earlier reported at a poultry research farm in Bihar, according to the World Organisation for Animal Health. This is the second year running that Maharashtra has reported avian influenza. Between December 2020 and March 2021, the state reported the disease while the first bird flu outbreak was in 2006 in Nandurbar, which was the first in the country as well.

As per protocol, all poultry birds and eggs within a one-kilometre radius of the affected area have to be destroyed. During the last outbreak, Maharashtra culled more than 10 lakh birds and destroyed more than 60 lakh eggs. Poultry feed of around 83,000 kg was also destroyed to contain the spread of the virus. Poultry farmers were given Rs 3 crore in compensation. The industry suffered massive losses as consumers stopped eating chicken and eggs, although properly cooked chicken is safe for consumption.