Bird Flu Outbreak: Poultry Culling In Puri To Begin Tomorrow

Puri: Confirming the outbreak of bird flu in Krushnaprasad block of Puri district, the district administration on Thursday said that it would begin culling of poultry in the block from Friday.

Informing the media here, Chief District Veterinary Officer (CDVO) Dr Girija Patnaik said excreta samples of some dead avian species collected from Sanasahi, Maluda, Alanda and Patharaganja areas of Krushnaprasad block and sent for test to institute at Bhopal have tested positive.

“The culling of poultry would begin in these areas from tomorrow. It will be extended to villages within a one-km radius of the affected areas,” he said.

Following the outbreak, the district administration has banned procuring of eggs and chicken from the block for 10 days.

“This apart, the district administration has strictly given instructions to all schools and anganwadi centres not to include eggs in the midday meals provided to the children,” he said.

Patnaik further said that eight teams of the Animal Resources Department (ARD), comprising the veterinary doctors and livestock inspectors (LIs), will arrive in the Krushnaprasad block later in the day. A site would be located in these areas where pits would be dug to dump the culled birds with bleaching powder and other chemicals ibefore being covered with sand.

Meanwhile, the ARD officials have begun awareness campaign in the affected areas to convince the people to hand over their hens and ducks for culling as the virus from those infected would spread to other birds.

Apart from Krushnaprasad block, excreta samples of hens and ducks from Brahmagiri, Kanas and Pipili block areas have been sent to for test and  the report of which will be received in two days. If any sample test is found positive, similar action would taken up in these areas, the CDVO added.

Giving details about the outbreak of bird flu, secretary, Fisheries and Animal Resources Department (F&ARD) Vishal Gagan said the ADRI had collected 500 excreta samples of dead crows, hens and ducks from Krushnaprasad area for test of which it had sent 20 to the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal, where excreta samples of two crows and two hens tested positive for the avian influenza.

“I had spoken to Puri collector in this regard last night and the district administration had a meeting this morning. We have sent our team to the affected areas and issued standard operating procedure (SOP) regarding the culling of birds and the precautionary measures to be taken during and after the process,” the secretary added.

On the other hand, joint director of the Animal Disease Research Centre, Phulnakhara, Loknath Behera allayed fear of bird flu in Nalabana area of Chilika Lake.