Bird Flu Outbreak: Culling Underway In Paradip

Paradip: Following the outbreak of bird flu in Paradip area in Odisha’s Jagatsinghpur district, culling of hen and ducks has begun since Sunday afternoon in Badapadia area as a preventive measure to curb further spread of the avian influenza to other areas.

Sources said a team of health officials collected nearly 200 hen from several chicken centres in Badapadia market area and culled them. Besides, they also collected thousands of eggs from these centres. Later they buried them in a dump yard near Bangalipada.

Acting on the directive of the district collector, 10 Rapid Response teams have been formed under the Chief District Veterinary Officer (CDVO) Ramesh Chandra Behera. The Rapid Response team is comprised of two surveillance teams and eight culling teams.

Raids on several chicken centres began on Sunday after the health officials took out awareness campaign in the area.

Few days back, some crows were found dead in Badapadia and Sandhakuda near Paradip town.

Following reports, a team of Veterinary doctors of the Animal Disease Research Institute (ADRI) Fulnakhara had gone to the area and collected the dead crows.

The samples of the dead crows were later sent to the laboratory of the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal for test. The Institute later sent its report confirming the presence of H5N1 virus in the dead crows.

Taking stock of the situation, Jagatsinghpur Collector Sachidananda Sahoo had a meeting with officials of District Animal Husbandry, Revenue and Health departments, Block offices and district police on Saturday and discussed measures to prevent the spread of the virus.

As a precautionary measure, the district administration has asked the poultry farms within one kilometer radius of the spot from where the dead crows were found, not to purchase or sell birds and eggs. Besides, people living in Paradip Municipality limits and nearby villages and slums have been asked to refrain from taking meat and eggs of chickens and ducks.

Besides the poultry farms in slums of Paradip, which have stocked thousands of chickens and ducks ahead of the marriage season, have been told to abide by the order.

“We are making people aware of the outbreak of bird flu and advised them not to eat chicken and eggs. We have collected chicken from the chicken centres and started their culling after assuring the owners of providing them with compensation,” Dr Rajendra Nayak, Health Officer of Paradip Municipality.

District Health Officer Loknath Behera said as per the protocol, Health department will collect all domestic birds within one km radius of the affected areas and cull them to ensure that the virus should not spread to other areas.

Talking to media persons, the CDVO said a total of 40 Rapid Response teams have been formed of which 10 teams have been sent to the affected areas while the remaining team will visit other affected areas very soon. “We are trying to complete the bird culling in three days,” he added.