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.

Avian Influenza / Bird Flu-Causes-Symptoms-Treatment- FAQs
Bird flu (avian influenza/avian flu) is a disease caused by an influenza virus (H5N1) that primarily affects birds but can infect humans also.

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.

A bird's eye view of the Bird Flu scare
It might not be the plague yet, but the bird or avian flu scare has acquired this nasty habit of sending a shiver down the spine.

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

Source-IANS

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