Kerala reports bird flu in two districts, alert sounded

Bird flu cases have been reported from two districts in Kerala and the authorities have sounded an alert across the state.

Kerala Animal Husbandry Minister K Raju said that the fresh cases were reported at Alappuzha and Kottayam districts and around 48,000 ducks were being culled to curb the chances of further spread.

The fresh outbreak was noticed after ducks in large numbers died in Alappuzha district. Tests conducted at Bhopal-based National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases confirmed that it was bird flu. The animal husbandry department would be opening control rooms in all districts to address the doubts and concerns of farmers.

Bird flu was earlier reported in Kerala in 2016 in Alappuzha district, which is quite known for duck farming. The state sounded high alert especially since the viral infection, which is also called avian influenza, can spread to humans and other animals also. Chicken in large numbers are also being brought to Kerala from neighbouring Tamilnadu in large numbers every day.

Recently, there were reports of avian influenza being reported from parts of Rajasthan, where crows died in large numbers. Suspected cases were reported in Madhya Pradesh also, an animal husbandry department official said.