Bird flu outbreak reported in Chhattisgarh farm, more than 15,000 birds culled

Baikunthpur administration has claimed that everything is under control now.

Updated on: Jan 9, 2020, 10:49:50 IST

Hindustan Times, Raipur | By Ritesh Mishra

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More than 15,000 birds have been culled and about 30,000 chicken eggs destroyed in Chhattisgarh’s Koriya district after outbreak of bird flu. The outbreak was confirmed in a government poultry farm in Baikunthpur by Paris-based World Organisation of Animal Health (OIE) based on a report from Ministry of Fisheries and Animal Husbandry on Wednesday.

The H5N1 is highly infectious and causes severe respiratory disease in birds. (Representative photo: Virendra Singh Gosain/HT)

The virus killed 5,634 out of 21,060 birds on the farm in Baikunthpur and all of the remaining birds were slaughtered.

“On December 7 last year, we got reports of 58 bird deaths in a farm of the district. Because it was abnormal, we started investigating. The district team started test of samples of birds but did not found anything,” said Dr RS Baghel, deputy director Veterinary Department of the district.

Baghel further said that since the district was not able to detect the disease the samples were sent to Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh.

“The Jabalpur specialist told us that it was a problem of cold and suggested treatment but nothing improved. Subsequently, we sent the samples to Izzatnagar (Bareilly); they also suggested the same line of treatment but we were able to contain the deaths of 50-60 birds daily. Then the samples were sent to Bhopal which confirmed on December 23 that the birds are having bird flu,” Baghel added.

Baghel informed that since December 23, the district administration started a drive to contain the virus as per Government of India guideline.

Baikunthpur administration has claimed that everything is under control and they are scanned each and every bird within the radius of 10 km from the farm.

“No human population got affected with the virus till now and no complaint of bird death has been reported since few days. The surveillance will continue for next three months,” said Baghel.

The H5N1 is highly infectious and causes severe respiratory disease in birds.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

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