Rajasthan avian flu: Chickens not yet inflicted with disease, says AHD secy

Amid some Kurja birds and crows found dead due to avian influenza in some parts of Rajasthan in the past few days, officials asserted that the bird flu disease has not yet been confirmed in chickens

Amid some Kurja birds and crows found dead due to avian influenza in some parts of Rajasthan in the past few days, officials on Wednesday asserted that the bird flu disease has not yet been confirmed in chickens and the poultry business is completely safe in the state.

As a precaution, the Animal Husbandry Department has set up a state-level control room with district-level Rapid Response Teams to make quick interventions.

Crows and migratory birds were found dead recently in the Jodhpur and Pali districts and the Sambhar area of ??Jaipur.

The death of migratory bird Kurja in Jodhpur district was found to be due to avian influenza as per the report received from Bhopal, Animal Husbandry Department secretary, Dr Arushi Malik, said in a statement.

She said with the Bhopal lab confirming avian influenza behind birds' deaths, fogging has been done in surrounding areas and the nearest departmental institutions have been alerted.

Malik said medical teams have also been deployed from the Animal Husbandry Department to provide medical treatment to ailing birds.

Seven birds including five crows were found dead in Jaipur's Sambhar area from where samples of four dead crows were sent to Bhopal, the AHD secretary said.

According to the Bhopal lab report, received today, the H5N1 avian influenza virus has been found in three crows samples, she added.

Dr Malik said Rapid Response Teams have been formed in all districts for effective monitoring and immediate action as per the instructions of Animal Husbandry Minister Lalchand Kataria.

The AHD has also written to all district collectors, asking them to take precautions, she said, adding a control room too has been set up at the state level.

Malik said bird flu disease has not been confirmed in chickens at present and the poultry business is completely safe.

She appealed to the poultry farmers to keep the bird enclosure clean and inform the department immediately if any death occur.