Mumbai: Bird flu has spread to nine states with Maharashtra and Delhi confirming the outbreak on Monday.
Earlier, seven states — Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Gujarat — confirmed Avian Influenza as the cause of recent bird deaths.
In Odisha, no bird flu virus was detected in any of the samples tested so far. However, the state government has advised poultry farmers and sellers as well as people to remain vigilant in case of any unnatural death of birds.
In Maharashtra, the outbreak was reported at a village in Parbhani district, India Today reported.
Confirming the news, Collector Deepak Mughlikar said, “Three days ago, 800 chickens at Murumba village died due to bird flu. The district administration had sent blood samples of dead chickens to National Laboratory. Reports confirm that the chickens died of bird flu.”
In Delhi, all eight samples — four from a park in Mayur Vihar Phase 3, three from Sanjay Lake, and one from Dwarka — were found positive for Avian Influenza, Dr. Rakesh Singh from the animal husbandry unit of the Development Department said. The report of the test results arrived on Monday morning, he said, The Indian Express reported.
Also on Monday, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture has summoned senior officials of the Animal Husbandry Ministry to examine the availability of animal vaccines in the country, NDTV reported.
Haryana has reported the most number of bird deaths; more than 4 lakh birds have died in the last few weeks. Jammu and Kashmir and Chhattisgarh are also on alert.
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