India issues Bird Flu alert |
Thousands of birds dying in the five states across India have spread fear among them and with the confirmation of H5N1 avian influenza virus in samples from migratory birds found dead in the Pong Dam Lake in Himachal Pradesh, the Union Environment, Forests and Climate Change Ministry on 5th January issued a high alert. The Ministry also asked all state Chief Secretaries to take “urgent measures” considering the seriousness of the situation and the “possibility of spread of the disease to humans and other domesticated animals or birds. State governments have been asked to take up surveillance and monitoring of birds for any signs of the disease and take appropriate measures for controlling it on priority. The decision came after the ICAR-National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal detected avian flu in samples from a large number of migratory birds found dead in the Pong Dam Lake in Himachal Pradesh. The migratory waterfowl, mostly Bar-Headed Geese, found dead in the lake area rose to 2,700 on 5th January, with officials surveying the area in the Kangra district to check the spread of the flu to domestic poultry birds. The Union ministry has directed state governments to set up state-level monitoring committees for migratory birds to collaborate with the State Veterinary Departments in collection of samples and to keep proper vigil.
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