Bird flu: Corpn issues advisory to meat shops

Upping the vigil against bird flu that is being reported in several states, including Kerala in the neighbourhood, the Greater Chennai Corporation has instructed all meat shop owners in the city to alert sanitary inspectors if three or more birds in their shops die without any particular reason.

According to a Corporation sanitary inspector, handbills with the instructions are being distributed to all meat shops in Chennai, explaining the precautions and also steps to be taken in case of suspected cases.

“If any meat shop owner violates the precautionary measures, action will be taken against the person under section 309 of Chennai City Municipal Corporation Act, 1919,” said the official.

As per the message on the handbill, bird cages should be placed away from the customers. Also, they should be cleaned twice a day using disinfectants. Employees should wear masks and gloves apart from sanitising their hands frequently, it added.

“Most importantly, the shop owners should alert us immediately if more than three birds die. Also, they should not sell the meat of dead birds or sick birds. To dispose of the dead birds, shop owners should bury the birds after dousing them using disinfectant,” the official added.

The civic body also requested customers to wear face masks and use hand sanitisers. They should also follow social distancing. “It is safer if the customers eat meat and eggs after boiling them for an extended time,” the handbill said.

The sanitary inspector added that distribution of the handbills commenced on Saturday and all the meat shops in the city would receive the instructions within a few days.

The State was put on alert during the first week of January after the Kerala government declared the bird flu outbreak as a State disaster. Following this, the civic body had instructed its officials to keep vigil.

Since the outbreak of the disease, many poultry farms in states including Maharashtra, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and a few others have reported deaths or culled the sick birds to contain the spread of the disease.

As per the message on the handbill, bird cages should be placed away from the customers.Also, they should be cleaned twice a day using disinfectants