India declared free from bird flu, surveillance to contiune

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 14

The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has declared India free from Avian Influenza (H5N1), commonly called bird flu.

Officials of the Department of Animal Husbandry said India had notified an outbreak of Avian Influenza (H5N1) on May 9, 2016, at Humnabad, Bidar district, Karnataka.

There has been no further outbreak reported in the country thereafter following which India was declared free from bird flu from September 5. The government has also notified it to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).

In areas on the 1-km radius of the outbreak location, the government took measures, including culling, disinfection and clean-up, to contain the spread of avian influenza. Post the surveillance, the state has shown no evidence of presence of Avian Influenza.

However, the Centre has asked states to continue surveillance, especially in the vulnerable areas bordering infected countries and in areas visited by migratory birds.

In 2014, there was an outbreak of Avian Influenza in captive ducks and geese at Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh. A highly contagious viral disease, bird flu is caused by variable viruses which are widespread in several species of food-producing birds such as chicken, ducks, turkeys, quails, guinea fowl, pet birds, and also wild waterfowl.