Indian government issues bird flu alert after H5N1 virus found in samples from Himachal

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change on Tuesday issued a high alert and asked all chief secretaries to take swift measures to handle a possible spread of bird flu disease to humans from domesticated animals or birds.

With thousands of birds dying in five states across the country and confirmation of the H5N1 avian influenza virus in samples from migratory birds found dead in the Pong Dam Lake in Himachal Pradesh, the states have been asked to take up surveillance and monitoring of birds for any signs of the disease and take appropriate measures for controlling it on priority.

On January 5, ICAR-National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh identified avian flu in samples from a large number of migratory birds found dead Pong Dam Lake in Himachal Pradesh. The migratory waterfowl, mostly Bar-Headed Geese, found dead in the lake area rose to 2700 on January 5.

Meanwhile, culling of chickens and ducks began on Tuesday in parts of Kerala to contain the H5N8 strain of bird flu, while Jammu and Kashmir sounded an alert and started collecting samples from migratory species after Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh reported cases of the avian influenza.

In Haryana, more than four lakh poultry birds have died at farms in Panchkula district in the past 10 days, officials said, adding that a team from Jalandhar’s Regional Disease Diagnosis Laboratory has collected samples. There are no confirmed reports of avian influenza till now, an RDDL spokesperson said.

Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have stepped up surveillance and formed guidelines following the outbreak of the viral infection in neighbouring Kerala, where around 1,700 ducks have died due to the flu.

In Madhya Pradesh, officials said that 155 dead crows in Indore have been found with the H5N8 strain since the pathogen was first detected in the city a week back, while in Rajasthan, after Jhalwar, birds in Kota and Baran were found with the infection.

Bird flu is a highly infectious and severe respiratory disease in birds caused by the virus which can occasionally infect humans as well, although human-to-human transmission is unusual, according to the World Health Organisation. According to WHO, there is no evidence that the disease can spread to people through food prepared and cooked properly as the virus is sensitive to heat, and dies in cooking temperatures.