Culling of 53,000 birds at two poultry farms in Mohali’s Dera Bassi begins today

With the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases, Bhopal, confirming avian influenza in samples of birds sent from two poultry farms in Mohali’s Dera Bassi sub-division, the district administration will begin culling of 53,000 birds there on Friday

With the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases, Bhopal, confirming avian influenza in samples of birds sent from two poultry farms in Mohali’s Dera Bassi sub-division, the district administration will begin culling of 53,000 birds there on Friday.

Representative image/HT

“A total of 25 teams, comprising five members each, will carry out the culling operation at Alfa and Royal poultry farms in Dera Bassi. Requisite safety gear, including PPE kits and face shields, and JCB machines have been provided to the teams,” said deputy commissioner Girish Dayalan.

“The 10km radius around the two epicentres has been announced as containment areas to keep a tab on poultry farming. Surveillance and sampling has been stepped up and two rapid response teams (RRTs) have been deployed to record any more bird deaths in the district,” he said.

Besides, as the virus strain detected is zoonotic and can be transmitted from birds to humans, bird handlers at the affected poultry farms will be examined by doctors for any symptoms.