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Fresh bout of bird flu hits city

Last Updated 02 January 2018, 18:25 IST

Bengaluru has been affected by bird flu, it has been confirmed after an  H5N1 virus was found in a bunch of chicken from a shop in Thanisandra, Northeast Bengaluru.

The Health Department has declared areas within the one-kilometre radius of Dasarahalli an infected zone and places inside the 10-kilometre radius surveillance zone.

Tausif, who  runs KGN meat shop in Thanisandra, bought a bunch of chicken from Tamil Nadu on December 28. When four or five of them died, he immediately took the rest to the veterinary hospital in Hebbal. After checking the fowls, the samples were sent to Bhopal's NIHSAD laboratory, where it was confirmed on December 31 that the birds have H5N1 (avian influenza).

The Health Department, which received the report on the diagnosis on Tuesday, has assured that things are under control and there is no need to panic. "We closed KGN meat shop on December 30 and will hold a medical examination on five people working there on Wednesday," District Malaria Officer Dr Sunanda Reddy said.  "Officials checked people in 40 houses in Dasarahalli and did not find anyone infected with the flu."

About 30 shops have been closed on Kempapura Main Road, in Dasarahalli and Mariyannapalya to stop the disease from spreading. "I've requested the district commissioner to cull the infected birds," BBMP Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad said.

The last time the city witnessed the bird flu was in 2012  in Hesaraghatta.

Bird flu is a fever affecting the birds as a result of H5N1 virus for turkey chicken and swans. Human beings coming into contact with the fowls can also contract the disease.  The virus can also spread if the affected chicken is used for cooking and if not cooked properly.  

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(Published 02 January 2018, 18:14 IST)

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