KENDRAPARA: Approximately 2,000 birds were culled in the district on Sunday, and the carcasses buried in deep pits lined with lime after an outbreak of avian flu (H5N1) was confirmed.
The confirmation came after the High Security Laboratory in Bhopal reported that 10 dead chickens from Andara and Balia gram panchayats tested positive for the H5N1 strain, said additional district veterinary officer (Disease Control), Kendrapara Dr Mrutyunjay Mohanty.
Sources said, 14 Rapid Action Teams involved in the culling operations will be quarantined for 10 days.
The district is undertaking a comprehensive culling and disinfection operation to prevent further spread of the disease within a one-kilometre radius of the affected farms as a precautionary measure to contain the virus.
The affected area has been declared a surveillance zone, with sodium sprayed to disinfect the environment. Residents have been advised not to consume chicken or duck for the next three months. A compensation of Rs 70 per culled bird is being provided to poultry owners, Mohanty added.
“To prevent further spread, authorities have already vaccinated many poultry birds across the district and are encouraging farmers to vaccinate their flocks at nearby veterinary dispensaries,” he stated. Six Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) comprising 29 veterinary assistant surgeons, livestock inspectors, zilla parishad members and social workers have been deployed for surveillance.
Officials of Bhitarkanika National Park have also issued alerts to monitor and prevent the spread of bird flu among the park’s heronry. Leaflets and booklets have been distributed to local villagers to raise awareness. Samples of blood and stool from around 40 birds have been collected and sent to the Animal Disease Research Institute (ADRI) in Cuttack for testing.