Centre issues avian influenza advisory as four states report outbreak in poultry

New Delhi, May 31

The Centre on Friday issued an advisory for avian influenza (bird flu), asking all states and UTs to watch out for any unusual deaths among birds or poultry.

The advisory follows bird flu outbreak in poultry in four states — Andhra Pradesh (Nellore), Maharashtra (Nagpur), Kerala (Kottayam, Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta) and Jharkhand (Ranchi) — and several outbreaks among cattle in the US, which has also reported one human infection case.

What’s Bird flu virus

The avian influenza virus (bird flu virus) is normally maintained in circulation in nature among migratory birds and is known to cause outbreaks among domesticated poultry birds probably due to spillover events when migratory birds come in contact with poultry.

In India, avian influenza has been reported since 2006. In December 2014, Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh had reported an outbreak with scores of ducks and geese found dead. The lake was cordoned off for culling operations at the time.

“Given that avian influenza is highly pathogenic and has the potential to be transmitted to humans, it is imperative to take necessary steps to minimise and prevent the spread of this infection,” Director General of Health Services Atul Goel and Animal Husbandry Commissioner Abhijit Mitra said in the advisory to states and UTs.

The Centre has asked states to strengthen biosecurity measures in all poultry establishments — zoos and poultry markets; be prepared with preventive measures, including adequate stock piling of antiviral drug oseltamivir, personal protective equipment and isolation wards and beds and enhance surveillance in wet markets and abattoirs.

The four states where poultry outbreaks of bird flu have been reported, the government has asked for culling of infected poultry and surveillance for suspected human cases.

The DGHS said since March 2024, there is a global concern over avian influenza outbreaks in cattle in multiple states in the US that have resulted in one reported human case of H5N1.