Bird flu confirmed in Maharashtra districts of Beed and Nanded; state death toll soars to 3,378

Avian influenza, or bird flu, is spreading to more parts of Maharashtra

Avian influenza, or bird flu, is spreading to more parts of Maharashtra. On Thursday, samples of poultry birds from Beed and Nanded districts tested positive for the virus. Pune’s Western Region Disease Diagnosis Laboratory (WRDDL) has confirmed the cause of the birds’ deaths in both districts to be the H5 strain of bird flu. The state laboratory also said crow samples from Nashik and Nanded districts had tested positive for bird flu.

On Thursday, 382 bird deaths were reported from different districts in Maharashtra. (HT Photo)

On Thursday, 382 bird deaths were reported from different districts in Maharashtra, pushing the count to 3,378 across the state. Of these, 331 are poultry birds (namely, chickens). This is in addition to nearly 15,000 poultry birds that were culled to contain the spread of avian influenza after cases of bird flu were confirmed in Parbhani and Latur districts. As of Wednesday, bird flu cases had been confirmed in Mumbai, Thane, Ratnagiri, Beed and Latur districts.

“As soon as the samples confirmed bird flu, the district administration declared an alert zone within a 10-kilometre (km) periphery of the areas where mortalities of poultry birds and crows were reported in Beed, Nanded and Nashik districts,” said state animal husbandry commissioner Sachindra Pratap Singh.

Of the 331 poultry bird deaths reported on Thursday, 110 are from Nagpur; 86 from Chandrapur; 50 from Satara; 47 from Latur; 25 from Gondia; 10 from Yavatmal; and three were reported in Raigad district. In addition, mortality has been observed in 44 other birds in Amravati, Solapur, Nashik, Yavatmal, Nandurbar, Pune and Jalgaon districts. Bird flu has led to mortalities in birds like herons, sparrows, parrots, crows and peacocks. Approximately eight peacocks died at Hinganghat in Wardha district, said officials.

In Beed and Nanded, culling of birds will start only after receiving a confirmation from the ICAR-National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) in Bhopal, a nodal body for testing bird flu cases. Samples have already been sent to the national laboratory and results are awaited, Singh said.

“The Centre has allowed implementing a containment plan in the respective districts if a report from the state laboratory comes positive for bird flu. However, it has restricted the administration from starting culling of poultry birds, saying it can be started only after receiving a confirmation report from ICAR-NIHSAD,” said Singh.

Considering the seriousness of the situation, the state government on Wednesday empowered all district collectors to immediately implement containment plans if they suspect bird deaths are due to avian influenza.

According to the containment plan prepared by the Centre, the local administration will cull poultry birds within a one-km radius of the particular poultry farm where bird deaths have been found due to avian influenza. A surveillance zone within a periphery of 10km will be created, which means no birds can be sold or purchase in this area. As a precaution, the particular village where the affected poultry farm is situated will be declared a prohibited area, which means no one can enter or come out of it, including local villagers. A medical team must be set up to examine locals.