In Kerala’s Kottayam, two panchayats — Arpookara and Thalayazham — reported having an outbreak of bird flu, prompting the authorities to order the culling of about 8,000 domestic ducks, hens, and other birds within a one-kilometer radius of the affected areas.
District Collector PK Jayasree presided over an emergency meeting and gave the local governments and Animal Welfare Department instructions on what steps needed to be taken to disinfect the area.
Additionally, the District Collector has mandated a three-day (starting December 13) ban on the sale and import of chicken, duck, quail, and other poultry products within 10 kilometres of the bird flu epicentre.
The Collector added that any unusual domestic bird deaths should be reported to the closest veterinary hospital if they are observed in 19 local bodies within a 10-kilometer radius of the disease’s epicentre.
In the district, cases of the H5N1 strain, which affects all birds, have been reported. Seabirds and migratory birds spread it.
After the birds died at a broiler chicken farm in Thalayazham and a duck farm in Arpookara, samples were sent to the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases Lab in Bhopal for testing.
The local government entities, revenue, police, forestry, health, and fire and rescue departments must all work together in accordance with the district collector’s directives.
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