Centre issues avian influenza advisory after 4 states report outbreaks 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 (avian influenza) 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.

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 an advisory to states and UTs on Friday.

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

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 has been a global concern after avian influenza outbreaks in cattle in multiple states of the US where one reported human case of H5N1 virus has also surfaced.

AVIAN INFLUENZA

Also called bird flu, the avian influenza virus is normally maintained in circulation in nature among birds—mainly migratory—and is known to cause outbreaks in domesticated poultry due to spill over events when migratory birvian influenza virus which may occasionally infect humans.