Karnataka Implements Measures to Control Bird Flu Spread, Orders Culling of Poultry

Chikkaballapur (Karnataka), Feb 28 (NationPress) - In response to the ongoing bird flu outbreak in Chikkaballapur, situated near Bengaluru, district authorities have taken decisive action by mandating the culling of 350 chickens at a local poultry farm.

The directive, issued on Friday, pertains to a farm in Varadahalli. Following the identification of the H5N1 virus in the chickens, the district administration, under the leadership of Deputy Commissioner P.N. Ravindra, has convened an emergency meeting and prohibited the transport of chickens from the village.

Access roads to the village have been blocked, and vehicle movement is being closely monitored to prevent any chicken transport. Initial investigations revealed that 28 chickens were discovered dead at the home of one Dyamappa in Varadahalli, and additional deaths have been reported in other households.

Samples from three deceased chickens at a poultry farm in the village were sent to the Bengaluru Central Laboratory, where tests confirmed the presence of avian influenza. As a result, the order to cull all chickens at the farm was issued.

Authorities have initiated a door-to-door survey of the poultry population in the village and have sprayed sodium hypochlorite solution across the area. The health department is diligently monitoring the well-being of residents.

Moreover, sources indicate that authorities are investigating reports that poultry farms in Varadahalli shipped around 10,000 chickens to Bengaluru just two days prior, raising concerns about the potential sale of these chickens in local meat shops and hotels.

Officials are closely observing the situation, working to confirm the claims, trace the supply chain, and alert sellers against offering chicken sourced from Varadahalli.

In light of avian flu outbreaks in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, the Animal Husbandry Department of Karnataka has intensified border surveillance of poultry trucks entering from neighboring states. Previously, authorities had asserted that no bird flu cases had been detected in the state, thanks to effective monitoring of poultry farms and chicken transportation.

Karnataka is estimated to produce four crore broilers each month, with 73 breeders and 20,000 poultry farmers in operation. In the adjacent Belagavi district, authorities have commenced screening poultry samples from individual and corporate farms and established checkpoints along the Maharashtra border.

Following the reports of the bird flu outbreak, poultry farmers have expressed concerns that consumers are avoiding chicken and eggs, resulting in significant financial losses.