KOLLAM: Another type of bird flu has hit the lone turkey farm in the state here. Over 160 birds in the farm died since Sunday and the disease has been identified as Influenza type A.
However, the district officer of the Animal Husbandry Department here, Chandraprasad, said that humans would not be infected by the strain.
“Though the disease is common in farms, the treatment is not very effective. Besides, it can spread among birds rapidly,” Chandraprasad said.
The officials of the department would meet on Thursday to decide on an action plan, including culling.
As a precaution, visitors and sales of poultry have been banned.
The dead birds have been scientifically burnt inside the farm itself. The farm in Kureepuzha has around 8,000 turkeys.
The incident was noticed on Sunday when many birds showed weakness.
The samples sent to the government labs in Tiruvalla and Thiruvananthapuram confirmed the disease.
The recent spread of the more dangerous H5N1 spared the district while the neighbouring districts of Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha incurred heavy poultry loss.