Bird flu outbreak confirmed in Kerala’s Alappuzha and Kottayam districts

In a large stroke to poultry farmers up of the Christmas-New Year season, authorities person confirmed the beingness of a highly pathogenic avian influenza microorganism successful Alappuzha and Kottayam districts of Kerala.

According to officials with the Department of Animal Husbandry, the beingness of the microorganism was confirmed successful tests conducted astatine the National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal. The corruption has been confirmed successful 1 ward each of 8 panchayats successful Alappuzha and successful 4 villages successful Kottayam.

In Alappuzha district, cases person been reported from the panchayats of Nedumudi, Cheruthana, Karuvatta, Karthikappally, Ambalappuzha South, Punnapra South, Thakazhi and Purakkad. Chickens were recovered to beryllium infected successful Nedumudi, portion ducks were affected successful the remaining areas.

In Kottayam, the illness has been detected successful the villages of Kuruppanthara, Manjoor, Kallupurakkal and Velur. Quails and chickens were among the birds recovered to beryllium infected.

Culling soon

An exigency gathering volition beryllium convened to kickstart culling of each home birds, including ducks successful the 1-km radius of the locations wherever the illness has been confirmed. Preventive measures, including culling of birds, volition beryllium done arsenic per the revised guidelines of the Central authorities issued successful 2021, officials said.

A prohibition connected the question of poultry, including ducks, chicken, quail and different home vertebrate excessively volition beryllium declared successful the 10-km radius of the affected areas.

The authorities, meanwhile, person been tasked with monitoring the concern successful section bodies surrounding the affected areas.

Unlike the modern poultry farming methods of rearing birds indoors, duck farmers successful the villages of Kuttanad inactive rear ducks successful the unfastened and it makes the birds susceptible to diseases specified arsenic avian influenza, officials added.