Kerala government ramp up efforts to tackle bird flu outbreak

Thiruvananthapuram: In light of incidents of bird flu cases in Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta districts, the Kerala government on Monday directed the authorities there to step up efforts to bring the situation under control.

State Animal Husbandry Minister J Chinchu Rani chaired a high-level meeting to assess the situation in various poultry and duck farms in the above districts, as well as those under the department.

The minister convened the meeting following the outbreak of avian influenza reported from the Government Duck Breeding Centre at Niranam in Pathanamthitta.

An official release stated that 4,081 ducks would be culled at the Niranam Government Duck Breeding Centre starting Tuesday.

After the suspicious deaths of ducks at the farm, a sample test at the High Security Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Bhopal confirmed bird flu. Approximately six rapid action teams have been deployed at the farm.

"The minister has also directed the district collectors of Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, and Kottayam to take steps to bring the bird flu under control," the statement said.

Given recent reports of the avian influenza virus in cattle in the United States, field-level officials of the Department of Animal Welfare have been directed to conduct intensive inspections and observations in farms and agro-cattle enterprises, it added.