Bird flu: 15-20 dead crows found at Delhi park
Samples taken from the dead crows have been sent to Northern Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Jalandhar in Punjab to determine whether the crows were carrying the bird flu or not
BusinessToday.In | January 9, 2021 | Updated 15:48 IST
The caretaker of the park has stated that as many as 200 crows have died in just the past week
Around 15-20 dead crows were discovered at a park in Delhi s Mayur Vihar Phase III amid a bird flu scare in the country. Samples taken from the dead crows have been sent to Northern Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Jalandhar in Punjab to determine whether the crows were carrying the bird flu or not.
NEW DELHI: With cases of avian influenza being reported from different states, the Centre on Wednesday alerted local authorities to mount surveillance on 12 epicentres, including the highest four in Kerala where thousands of birds died in the past few days, and asked them to step up containment measures.
Though there are no reported human cases of avian influenza in India till date, the health ministry asked states to take all measures to prevent its spread saying the infection is highly pathogenic and can transmit to humans.
“It is absolutely critical that measures for effective containment among bird/poultry population and active surveillance in human population has to be ensured,” said health secretary Rajesh Bhushan in his letter to state chief secretaries. The ministry has deployed multi-disciplinary teams at Alappuzha and Kottayam districts in Kerala, and Panchkula in Haryana.
Bird flu outbreak in 4 states; Kerala culls 17,326 birds, Haryana on high alert
In India, the first outbreak of bird flu happened in 2006. According to the department of animal husbandry, 25 episodes of H5N1 bird flu in poultry in 15 states occurred between 2006 and 2015.
BusinessToday.In | January 7, 2021 | Updated 11:10 IST
In Kerala s Alappuzha, a total of 17,326 birds have been culled and a total of 8kg feed and 42 eggs were destroyed on Wednesday
The bird flu or avian flu outbreak has been reported in four states Kerala, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh, whereas Haryana is on high alert due to abnormal deaths at a poultry farm in Panchkula. According to the PIB release, a total of 4,30,267 birds have died in Barwala, Panchkula in past 25 days in Haryana.
URL copied
Many states in India have witnessed a sporadic increase in Avian Influenza (bird flu) cases lately. More than 25 thousand ducks, crows and migratory birds have died in states like Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala. The news has started to trigger panic among the public. The people, still fear-struck with the Covid-19 infection, are afraid that the bird flu, which is also a viral disease, may turn into an epidemic.
Health experts have been advising people to take precautions rather than fear the viral disease. Doctors say that the risk of H5N1 virus causing bird flu is transmitted from human to human. This is possible only when one works closely with the infected species of birds. In humans, the bird flu virus enters through the eyes, nose and mouth.
The H5N1 virus, commonly referred to as bird flu, must be viewed as a serious threat to India and all possible precautions must be taken to guard against disaster. Countries with robust public health systems are gearing up to face a H5N1 global pandemic. India s weakness in public health is, however, a cause for worry. Our defences could easily be overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the pandemic.
To read the full text Login
Get instant access