Bird Flu Status in Maharashtra: 5151 Birds Dead Since Jan 8 in 22 Districts

Pune, January 16, 2021: Till today, cases of Avian Influenza have been confirmed in poultry in Latur, Parbhani, Nanded, Pune, Solapur, Yavatmal, Ahmednagar, Beed and Raigad districts of Maharashtra.

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 of the areas in Maharashtra have found positive.

According to Maharashtra Animal Husbandry department, till 9 pm on January 15, a total of 982 poultry birds have been found dead in the State of Maharashtra. Out of this, Thane 35, Raigad 4, Satara 9, Sangli 20, Ahmadnagar 151, Beed 25, Latur 253, Osmanabad 7, Amravati 90, Yavatmal 205, Nagpur 45, Wardha 109, Chandrapur 4, Gondia 23 and 2 from Gadchiroli. So far deaths have been reported from 22 districts. Mortality has been observed in other 67 birds like Herons, sparrows, Parrots etc with the break of Mumbai 2, Thane 29, Raigad 1, Ratnagiri 5, Kolhapur 3, Nashik 18, Ahmednagar 2, Latur 1, Nanded 2, Yavatmal 3 and 1 at Wardha. So far, deaths in other birds have been reported from 21 districts.

Total 87 crows have been found dead, with the breakup of Mumbai 11, Thane 42, Ratnagiri 5, Pune 2, Satara 2, Nashik 1, Jalgaon 2, Parbhani 1, Amravati 11, Yavatmal 1, Buldhana 1, Wardha 6 and Gondia 2. So far, mortality in crows has been reported from 22 districts in the State. Thus, in the State of Maharashtra, a total of 982 birds have died on 15.01.2021 till 9 pm.

The samples are being sent to National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal and Disease Investigation Section, Pune for testing. It can take 48 to 72 hours to get the results of the testing. A total of 5151 deaths of various birds have been recorded till the date, since 08/01/2021. The results of the examination of the previously sent samples have 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 of Crows from Beed district have been found positive for H5N8 strain.

Accordingly, the area is declared as an “Infected Zone” and action is taken to enforce the prescribed preventive measures, at Murumba, Dist Parbhani. As per these measures, approximately 3443 poultry birds within 1 km radius of the infected poultry farm at Murumba, taluka district Parbhani and approximately 11064 Poultry birds from Kendrewadi Taluka Ahmedpur and approx 28 Poultry birds from Sukani, Taluka Udgir in Latur district have been culled. The area is also disinfected at both the places.

Yesterday on 15.01.2021 at 7 pm, the results of the samples sent earlier have been received from the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases, Bhopal. Some of the samples from poultry birds have been found positive for the Bird Flu. These include Kupta taluka Selu and Pedgaon in Parbhani district, Tondar Vanjarwadi, Tq. Udgir and Kurdwadi taluka Ausa in Latur district, Papalwadi tq. Mahur and Navandyachiwadi tal. Kandhar, In Nanded district. Chande Tq. Mulshi and Beribel tal. Daund in Pune district., Mangalvedha in Solapur district, Lokhandi Savargaon in Beed district, Shrigonda in Ahmednagar district, Pen in Raigad.

The process of declaring the “Infected Zone” and thereafter culling of poultry birds from 1 km radius has also been initiated in Parbhani, Latur Beed, Raidag, Pune and Solapur districts. Thus, Samples of poultry from 7 districts of the State are positive for Avian Influenza and samples from 2 districts viz. Amravati and Akola are negative. Sample from Peacoock from Khandala Arni in Yavatmal district has been found positive for H5N1. In Mumbai, Ghodbander (Thane district), Dapoli, Yavatmal and Beed, surveillance will only be continued.

In exercise of the powers conferred under Prevention And Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animals Act, 2009 for the prevention, control and eradication of Avian Influenza, Government of Maharashtra has conferred all its powers on all the District Collectors within their local jurisdiction in the state of Maharashtra vide notification dated 12/01/2021. The process of declaration of “Alert Zone” in an area of mortality in Poultry birds, suspected to be died of Bird Flu and ensuring necessary precautions and preventive measures are undertaken under these conferred powers, by local administration.

It is hereby communicated to the owners of poultry farms and general public that intimation of mortality in the in crows, parrots, herons or in migratory birds in any village or of any unusual mortality of poultry birds in commercial farms as well as in backyard poultry, be immediately given to the nearest veterinary dispensary. The intimation should also be given on the Toll free no. 18002330418. 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 off without intimation to the local veterinarian.

As per the provisions under Section 4 (1) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases of Animals Act, 2009, every owner, or any other person, non-governmental organization, public bodies or village Panchayat, in-charge of any animal which he or it 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. 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. Properly cooked meat of poultry and boiled eggs are safe for human consumption.

It is appealed to the citizens that they should not consume raw, half-cooked poultry meat or eggs. It is also urged not to spread misconceptions and rumours based on unscientific information about bird flu, stated the department.