Bird flu in Kerala 2021 latest news, On Thursday, the state animal husbandry department confirmed bird flu (H5N1 influenza) in some samples sent to the National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal, prompting an alert in Kerala’s Alappuzha district.
Last week, a large number of ducks and other local birds died in the district, prompting authorities to send samples to a lab in Bhopal. Culling of ducks will begin in affected areas on Friday, according to veterinary officials, and farmers will be compensated according to government guidelines. In the state capital, Animal Husbandry Minister J Cinchu Rani said, “The government has instructed the district collector to take necessary measures.”
Farmers raise ducks in the district, which is blessed with many backwaters and water bodies, and bird flu is a common occurrence. The virus is thought to be spread primarily by migrating birds from other countries. Duck rearing is a big business in Alappuzha and neighboring Kottayam, and there’s a lot of demand for duck eggs and meat, which is usually more expensive than poultry.
Bird flu, also known as Avian Flu, is a type of influenza that affects birds and is caused by an airborne virus. It can only rarely spread to humans, and if it does, it can cause person-to-person transmission, according to experts. There are many different types of viruses, and H7N9 is one of the most dangerous, according to experts. According to the World Health Organization, the avian influenza virus has many subtypes, only a few of which are dangerous to humans.
The district also reported a viral outbreak last year, but it was localized and contained. To control the outbreak in 2016, at least 5 lakh chickens and ducks were culled in the districts of Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta. Experts say all rearing birds in the area will have to be culled to contain the disease, which is highly contagious.