After coronavirus, poultry farmers in Karnataka and Kerala hit by bird flu

After coronavirus hit consumption of chicken and eggs to a multi-year low, poultry farmers in Karnataka and Kerala are facing another problem — bird flu or, formally, the H5N1 virus.

The source is migratory birds from the east. Farmers in the two states have reportedly begun culling chickens, while the state governments have restricted supply of chicken across their borders.

“Bird flu indications are found in the Mysore region of Karnataka, among small farms with 3,000-4,000 birds. In fact, farmers had found some dead migratory birds which they carried into their farms, which was the major cause of the outbreak. The flu