Bird flu in Maharashtra:266 poultry birds reported dead

A major poultry hub, Navapur tehsil has been under the state government’s radar after positive reports for the disease emerged from its poultry farms

So far, 6,12,848 poultry birds, including a record 5,03,926 birds from Navapur in Nandurbar district, were scientifically culled in order to avoid the spread of bird flu in Maharashtra. In addition, 19,22,897 eggs and 65,574 kilograms of poultry feed have also been destroyed from the infected zones in the state. A major poultry hub, Navapur tehsil has been under the state government’s radar after positive reports for the disease emerged from its poultry farms. The tehsil is a home to 27 poultry farms with more than 9.75 lakh poultry birds. The state administration has deployed more than 100 special teams to cull the poultry birds within 1 kilometer radius of the infected zones.

The Nandurbar district administration has been sending samples to the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal and Disease Investigation Section in Pune. Meanwhile, the death of 269 birds, including 266 poultry birds, has been reported. The state government has delegated powers to the district collectors under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases in Animal Act, 2009, for the prevention and control of bird flu. The state government has urged poultry farmers to follow strict biosecurity measures. Chicken shop proprietors are strictly directed to use gloves, cover their mouth and nose with masks and maintain hygiene and social distance.