KENDRAPARA: Health officials have quarantined five poultry farmers after H5N1-infected chickens were found at their farms on Tuesday.
Chief district medical officer Dr Anita Patnaik confirmed that the swab samples from these farmers were collected and sent to the Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC) in Bhubaneswar for testing.
The bird flu outbreak was confirmed on Sunday, following tests by the High Security Laboratory in Bhopal, which detected H5N1 in 10 dead chickens from Andara and Balia gram panchayats in Derabishi block, Dr Patnaik added.
Dr Mrutyunjay Mohanty, additional district veterinary officer (Disease Control), said that the proliferation of unhygienic poultry farms in these gram panchayats is a major factor in the outbreak. “Many poultry farms in the district have violated hygiene standards. Farm owners must adhere to these standards to prevent such outbreaks,” he said.
Culling operations are on for the fourth consecutive day. “We have culled approximately 10,000 chickens so far and advice against consuming poultry products,” Dr Mohanty stated.
The outbreak also poses a threat to indigenous hen population, such as Hansell and Hazara, which are being culled despite their higher immunity to avian influenza.
Local indigenous hen seller Narahari Lenka expressed concern about the impact on livelihoods, as many residents rely on these birds for income.
To combat the spread of bird flu, the Forest department is distributing informational leaflets and booklets to villagers near Bhitarkanika National Park. Surveillance is on in key areas such as Bhitarkanika, Satabhaya, and Hukitola, where many birds have arrived for the breeding season. Divisional forest officer Sudarshan Gopinath Yadav said while monitoring efforts have not yet found any sick birds, vigilance remains high to prevent the virus’ spread among nesting avian species.