Bird flu reported in Kerala

In the midst of an ongoing Coronavirus alert, bird flu cases have been also reported at Kozhikode in North Kerala.

Kerala Animal Husbandry Minister K Raju said that the situation was under control. As a precaution against the spread of the disease, the culling of poultry would be initiated in all areas prone to the infection. As of now, there were no reports of the disease spreading to human beings, he said.

Bird flu was reported at a farm at West Kodiyathoor and Vengara in the district. Following the mass death of the hens and birds, the specimens tested at the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases confirmed bird flu as the cause.

The animal husbandry department formed 25 teams, comprising veterinary doctors in Kozhikode district to initiate the culling activities. Initially, the culling would be undertaken in one km radius of the affected areas and alert would be sounded at 10 km radius.

Bird flu outbreak was reported in Kerala in 2016 and 2014 at Kuttanad in Alappuzha, where hundreds of ducks died.