Bird Flu In Maharashtra: Know How To Cook Chicken, Eggs; Animal Husbandry Department Issues Guidelines, Over 1800 Birds Found Dead In Four Days
Sumit Singh
Pune, January 12, 2021: Outbreaks of Bird Flu have been reported in migratory birds in Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Kerala, and Madhya Pradesh. Similarly, test results of samples from some areas in Maharashtra were found positive, affirms Animal Husbandry Commissioner Sachindra Pratap Singh.
As per the latest information, today 214 poultry birds have been found dead in the State of Maharashtra. Out of this, 200 have died in Yavatmal district, 11 in Amravati district, and 3 in Akola district. Four crows have been found dead in Akola district. In the State of Maharashtra, a total of 218 birds have died today. The samples are being sent to the National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal and Disease Investigation Section (DIS), Aundh, Pune, for testing. It can take 48 to 72 hours to receive the results of the investigation.
The commissioner further informed, “A total of 1839 deaths of various birds have been recorded since 08/01/2021. The results of the inspection of the previously sent samples have recently been received from the National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases, Bhopal. The samples from Mumbai, Ghodbander (Thane district), and Dapoli for crows & herons and samples of poultry farm from Muramba (Tal. Parbhani) have been found positive for (H5N1 strain) and samples from Beed district have been found positive for the H5N8 strain.
Accordingly, the area is being declared as an “Infected Area” and action is being taken to enforce the prescribed preventive measures. As per these measures, all of the poultry birds within a 1 km radius of the infected poultry farm at Muramba, taluka district Parbhani approx 5500 birds and 10000 bids from Latur will be culled. But In Mumbai, Ghodbander (Thane district) and Dapoli and Beed only surveillance will be continued.”
Guidelines for poultry farm owners and people
The owners of poultry farms and the general public have to immediately inform the nearest veterinary dispensary about the death of crows, parrots, herons, or migratory birds in any village or of any unusual mortality of poultry birds in commercial farms as well as in backyard poultry. The information can be given on the Toll-free no. 18002330118.
“It is advised that the dead birds should not be touched with bare hands and post mortem of such dead birds should not be conducted. The birds should not be disposed of without intimation to the local veterinarian”, he said.
As per the provisions under Section 4 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases of Animals Act, 2003, every owner, or any other person, non-governmental organization, public bodies or village Panchayat, in-charge of any animal which he or she has a reason to believe to be infective of a scheduled disease shall report the fact to the Village Officer or village panchayat in-charge, who may report the same in writing to the nearest available Veterinarian.
Cook Egg, Chicken For 30 Minutes
“Everyone in the state needs to take these precautions as mentioned above, for containment of the outbreak at the place of occurrence and to prevent the further spread of the disease. It is completely safe to eat eggs and poultry meat if the eggs and poultry meat are cooked for 30 minutes at a temperature of 70 degrees Celsius. All municipal corporations should make it mandatory for chicken sellers to wear masks and use gloves as cases are increasing. People are requested not to spread misconceptions and rumours based on unscientific information about bird flu”, the commissioner concluded.
