H5N1 spreads to poultry in Patna; 6,000 birds to be culled after crow deaths

Patna district magistrate Thiyagarajan SM said the culling would occur in the Chitkohra area, which houses the main poultry unit under the Bihar Animal Sciences University (BASU), after bird flu was confirmed in poultry birds

Around 6,000 poultry birds will be culled in Patna on Wednesday after the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza, commonly called bird flu, spread from crows to poultry for the first time this year, officials said on Tuesday.

Chicken veing transported for sale in Patna. (HT File)

Patna district magistrate Thiyagarajan SM said the culling would occur in the Chitkohra area, which houses the main poultry unit under the Bihar Animal Sciences University (BASU), after bird flu was confirmed in poultry birds.

“We received an intimation from the animal husbandry department today. Around 6,000 poultry birds will be culled within a 1km radius of the epicentre where poultry deaths have been reported,” he said. Officials added that nearly 4,000 poultry birds have died so far this month.

Samples from the affected poultry – the Poultry Training Institute – under BASU, were sent to the Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (RDDL) in Kolkata on February 11. The state’s dairy, fisheries and animal resources department received confirmation of H5N1 infection in poultry from the Centre on Monday.

The development comes amid growing concerns over the virus’s spread after fresh crow deaths were reported in Patna and Bhagalpur, prompting the Bihar government to intensify containment and biosecurity measures across five affected districts.

Since January 28, the state has confirmed 366 crow deaths due to H5N1. The fatalities were reported from Darbhanga (200), Bhagalpur (70), Katihar (62), Patna (22) and Bettiah in West Champaran district (12), said Shirsat Kapil Ashok, secretary of the dairy, fisheries and animal resources department.

Ashok said fresh samples were sent to the RDDL in Kolkata on February 19 after around 68 crow deaths were reported between February 16 and 18 in different localities of Patna and Bhagalpur. The test results are awaited.