Bird flu confirmed in Maharashtra, 800 chickens died in last two days

Photo used for representational purpose. Pic/AFP

Maharashtra became the eighth state to confirm bird flu on Monday after 800 chickens died in Murumba village.

"Three days ago, 800 chickens in Murumba village died due to bird flu. The district administration had sent blood samples of dead chickens to National Laboratory and reports confirm that the chickens died of bird flu," said Deepak Mughlikar, District Collector of Parbhani in Maharashtra.

"All birds in poultry farms within a one-kilometer radius of Muramba village will be culled. Also, the sale and purchase of birds within a 10-km radius have been suspended. All people in the village are being tested for the virus and a medical team is present," Mughlikar added.

Meanwhile, eleven crows were found dead in Chembur area of Mumbai on Sunday. "Two samples have been sent for test, the reports are awaited," an official from RCF police station told ANI.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will chair a meeting on Monday to review the bird flu situation in the state.

The state health authorities held a high-level meeting of officials from different departments to assess the situation arising out of the new threat to both animals and humans.

However, Animal Husbandry Minister Sunil Kedar said contrary to rumours there is no ban on sale of poultry products like eggs or chicken as of now and the state government is in a state of high alert.

The Centre has directed states and union territories across the country to increase surveillance around water bodies, live bird markets, zoos, and poultry farms as well as strengthen biosecurity at poultry farms amid the bird flu scare.

The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying said in a statement on Sunday that the states and UTs have been asked to increase public awareness and prevent the spread of misinformation on the avian influenza or bird flu.

The states and UTs have also been requested to ensure proper disposal of animal/bird carcasses, the statement added.

Advisories have since been issued to the affected states to prevent further spread of the avian disease. The disease has been confirmed from Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh.

The central teams formed to monitor the situation are visiting the affected areas across the country.

(With inputs from agency)