The Jharkhand government sounded an alert after bird flu cases were reported in a state-run poultry farm in Ranchi, an official said on Wednesday. As many as 2,196 birds including 1,745 chickens were culled at the Regional Poultry Farm, Hotwar, an official told PTI.
A total of 1697 eggs were also destroyed.
The presence of H5N1, a type of avian influenza A virus that causes disease in birds, was confirmed in the samples sent to the ICAR-National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal, the official said.
The Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has asked the state to take all measures to contain its spread.
The state government has been asked to take immediate measures including declaration of infected and surveillance areas, restricting access to infected premises, destruction of birds and disposal of dead birds and infected material.
The officials have been asked to notify areas within one km radius of the affected zone. Areas within a 10 km radius will be declared as surveillance zones.
The official said that the farm that was closed for renovation was opened barely three months back and got poultry from Bhubaneswar.
The Animal Husbandry Department has issued an advisory, urging people to inform it if they see dead birds.
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