CHENNAI: The union government has confirmed the presence of a highly pathogenic bird flu or avian influenza (H5N1) in crows in Tamil Nadu, following laboratory testing of samples at the ICAR-National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal, amid reports of high number of deaths of crows in some places in Chennai.
In a communication dated January 22, the department of animal husbandry and dairying informed the Tamil Nadu government that H5N1 virus had been detected in “samples from crow” submitted by the Animal Disease Intelligence Unit in Kancheepuram.
The letter called for strengthened biosecurity, proper disposal of dead birds through deep burial, intensified surveillance, and immediate reporting of unusual bird mortality, while urging coordination between animal, wildlife, and health departments under a One Health approach.
While rapid surveillance is yet to take-off, veterinarians and animal welfare groups on the ground expressed concerns that the scale of the outbreak in Chennai could be significant.
Shravan Krishnan of the Besant Memorial Animal Dispensary (BMAD) estimated that between 1,000 and 1,500 crows may have died in the city in the last few weeks.
“To my knowledge, at least 1,500 crows have died. We are getting reports of unusual deaths every single day, and people are bringing sick crows to our facility regularly. Today alone, three crows were brought in,” he said.
According to BMAD, deaths have been reported from Adyar, Gandhi Nagar, Pallikaranai, Velachery, Thiruvanmiyur, and in the ECR and OMR corridors, indicating that the virus may be circulating widely across the city.
“We still do not know the exact nature of the strain circulating. More samples must be urgently sent for testing before the disease affects other species,” he said, calling for institutional response, including a dedicated helpline, rapid-response teams to handle bird carcasses, and setting up of a task force. “Carcasses must be disposed of scientifically. Deep burial is recommended. Leaving this to the public alone is risky,” Krishnan said.
Dr M Jagadeesan, city health officer, Greater Chennai Corporation, was not available for comment. Public health experts warn that delays in surveillance, sample testing, and coordinated response could increase risks in a densely populated environment like Chennai.