Fear of avian influenza (bird flu) gripped different parts of India on Friday, with six of the country’s states confirming multiple cases of the disease.
The six states are Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Gujarat, reports The Times of India.
India’s central government has held a meeting with the states to determine the severity of the situation. It also recommended steps to curb the spread of the disease.
In Haryana, more than 160,000 birds will be culled as some poultry samples had tested positive for the bird flu there.
Haryana Agriculture Minister JP Dalal said: "Five poultry samples of Siddharth Poultry Farm at Raipur Rani block in Panchkula were found positive for the H5N8 strain of avian flu. It is an influenza virus."
Similarly, samples of some birds from Nature Poultry farm in Panchkula also tested positive, he added.
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Meanwhile, the culling operations have been completed in both the affected districts of Kerala, said an official statement, adding: “The disinfection process is underway.”
In New Delhi, the deaths of some 20 crows in the last couple of days have caused panic among locals. Unusual deaths of 16 birds were also reported in Hastsal Village, and samples have been sent for testing.
The authorities have deployed several teams to visit Kerala, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh to investigate the overall situation.
Awareness among poultry farmers and the general public [consumers of chicken and eggs] about the disease is of paramount importance, the government said.
States that are still unaffected by the avian influenza were requested to keep an eye on any unusual bird deaths and to immediately report the matter to ensure that necessary measures are taken as soon as possible.
According to the National Health Service of England, bird flu is an infectious type of influenza that spreads among birds and, in rare cases, it can also affect humans.
