Bird flu: City scales up checks, 11 teams formed to inspect poultry markets

The government’s animal husbandry unit said no fresh report on the 120 remaining samples has arrived on Tuesday from the two laboratories in Punjab’s Jaladhar and Madhya Pradesh’s Bhopal.

A day after the Delhi government confirmed bird flu in the national capital, authorities on Tuesday initiated large-scale checks and sample collection across the capital city.

The 11 rapid response teams in coordination with the district administrations also conducted inspections at various poultry markets, including INA and Kondli. (Representational image.) (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

The government’s animal husbandry unit said no fresh report on the 120 remaining samples has arrived on Tuesday from the two laboratories in Punjab’s Jaladhar and Madhya Pradesh’s Bhopal.

The 11 rapid response teams in coordination with the district administrations also conducted inspections at various poultry markets, including INA and Kondli.

“At least 18 more samples were sent for testing on Tuesday. However, no new positive report has come. At least 50 calls were received on Tuesday on the helpline number -- 011-23890318 -- which was launched by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday for residents to seek help with regard to bird flu,” said a senior official on condition of anonymity.

North Delhi mayor Jai Prakash inspected the Naini Lake in Model Town area on Tuesday and said the municpal body has set up a high-level committee to monitor the bird flu situation. He said there are a total 6,795 parks under the north corporation of which three are big gardens. The corporation is keeping an eye on birds and wherever dead birds are found, samples will be collected for tests.

“Samples of birds have also been taken from Naini Lake and their reports are awaited. All ducks seem to be in good health and migratory birds have already left. The North corporation has also issued guidelines to all meat shops, restaurants and hotels. The corporation will also conduct awareness campaigns in its jurisdiction to make the citizens aware about bird flu and ways to prevent the disease spread,” Prakash said.

On Monday, at least 10 of the 128 samples sent for testing came positive for the H5N1 virus, after which the government launched a drive to cull birds in east Delhi’s Sanjay Lake Park that has already been shut.

Hours after bird flu was confirmed in the city, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia announced a temporary ban on sale of even processed or packaged chicken sourced from outside the capital. Before that, on Saturday, Kejriwal had already ordered a ban on import of live birds into the city and shut the Ghazipur wholesale poultry market for 10 days.