Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana Report Cases of Bird Flu

Bad news from 2020 seems to have spilled onto 2021 as well. Recently, Indian states of Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala have reported cases of bird flu. So far, around 1800 migratory birds have been found dead at the Pong Dam Lake in Himachal Pradesh; about 300 birds in several districts of Rajasthan and 100 crows in Madhya Pradesh.

It has been also reported from Kerala that the authorities have planned to cull around 40,000 birds in the state citing influenza virus H1N8 strain. In Rajasthan, the death reports of birds have been coming from around December 25 from districts of Jodhpur, Pali, Kote, Jhalawar and Baran.

“Bird Flu has been detected in four samples of dead crows sent to the state lab. Around 100 crows died in Mandsaur between December 23 and January 3. Medical team to conduct surveillance within 1-km of the infected area,” said Dr. Manish Ingole of the Animal Husbandry department, Madhya Pradesh. Reports of bird deaths have been confirmed in the districts of Indore, Khargone, Mandsaur and Agar Malwa.

In Haryana, a probe has been initiated by the Animal Husbandry and Dairying Department to ascertain the reason for death of thousands of poultry birds.