Lists 19,235 chicken, 13,673 ducks and 369 emus to be culled and buried as per norms over the next few days to check spread of the disease.
The bird flu scare has forced the animal husbandry department to take unprecedented stringent measures around the Central Poultry Development Organisation & Training Institute (CPDOTI) in Hesaraghatta, where bird flu claimed the lives of 4,265 turkeys last week in what is seen as the first officially acknowledged outbreak of avian influenza in the Bangalore region.
But a day after the state’s animal husbandry department announced the deaths of 206 chickens and 17 ducks suspected to be due to avian influenza at CPDOTI, the department has now also listed 19,235 chicken, 13,673 ducks and 369 emus to be culled and buried as per the norms. Besides, 52 poultry sheds have also been listed for cleaning and sanitation work to prevent any possible spread of the disease.
With growing suspicions that even the chicken, ducks and emus might be afflicted by avian influenza, the Union government on Monday notified that the area of culling of birds be extended to a radius of one kilometre around CPDOTI which is located in Byatha village in Hesaraghatta hobli.
“Action has been initiated as per Government of India action plan-2012 for control and containment of avian influenza,” a release from the animal husbandry department said. “Sanitisation activity in turkeys unit has started on October 28 (Sunday). Government of India has (now) notified....that area of culling of birds has to be extended up to a radius of 1-km from Central Poultry Development Organisation, Hesaraghatta.”
In the restricted zone, around Hesaraghatta, 81 samples have so far been collected and sent to the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory in Bhopal to confirm or eliminate suspicions of avian influenza among the chickens, ducks and emus. The disease so far was restricted only among the turkeys.
The animal husbandry department had already notified ban on chicken sale within a 10-km radius around CPDOTI until further notice. Presently, 10 teams are involved in surveillance work in that zone, and 25 rapid response teams have been formed for culling and disposal of the birds.
However, no human case of avian influenza has yet been reported. But in order to not leave any stone unturned the animal husbandry officials have put a system in place to send any person with the symptoms of avian influenza to be isolated and sent to government hospital in Hesaraghatta for diagnosis.
The experts, however, say it is very rare for avian influenza to be transmitted from birds to humans unless in rare cases, that too among poultry workers who work without protective gear especially during an outbreak. Incidentally, not a single case of avian influenza has been reported anywhere in India.
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