Bird Flu Outbreak In Paradip Confirmed, Admin Steps Up Measures

Paradip: Following confirmation on the outbreak of bird flu in Paradip area of Odisha’s Jagatsinghpur district, the district administration has stepped up measures to prevent further spread of the avian influenza to other areas.

A few days back, some crows were found dead in Badapadia and Sandhakuda near Paradip town. A team of veterinary doctors of Animal Disease Research Institute (ADRI) Fulnakhara, Cuttack, had then visited the area and collected the dead crows for test.

The test at ADRI found that the dead crows carried H5N1 virus.

Following the report, Jagatsinghpur Collector Sachidananda Sahoo called a meeting with officials of 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 kilometre 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 consuming 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.

Meanwhile, samples from domestic birds in the affected areas have been collected on random basis for laboratory test.