Bird Flu Scare in Bhubaneswar

Movement of poultry and related products from an area in Bhubaneswar has been banned by Odisha government following a bird flu case reported in the city.

The state authorities had recently sent three poultry samples from the government-run Central Poultry Development Organisation (CPDO) to the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory (HSADL) in Bhopal after several chickens suddenly died.

One of these samples tested positive for the deadly H5N1 virus, state animal resources development department director Benudhar Dash told IANS. The CPDO has nearly 30,000 poultry birds.

Dash said to prevent the spread of infection, the movement of poultry and related products has been restricted from the area within a three km radius of the firm.

The state had culled thousands of poultry birds earlier this month after bird flu cases were detected in the districts of Khordha, Mayurbhanj and Angul. Although Bhubaneswar comes under Khordha district, this was the first case of bird flu reported in the city.

Dash said he is waiting for instructions from higher authorities on whether to carry out culling operations in the affected area.

Source: IANS