After Junagadh, chook flu spreads to central, southern districts

THE NUMBER of districts affected by the chook flu within the state went as much as 4 Monday as samples of crows, which have been discovered useless in some central and southern districts just a few days in the past, examined optimistic for H5N1 influenza. Thirty crows had dropped useless in Vadodara district, whereas carcasses of six and 5 crows have been present in Surat and Valsad districts, respectively, over the past week. This comes days after H5N1 instances have been famous in Junagadh district.
Vadodara and Surat district collectors Monday imposed restrictions on the motion of man and equipment to and from poultry farms in affected areas whilst extra mass mortality of birds was reported from Saurashtra and Kutch.
Officials at Vadodara animal husbandry division mentioned the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) laboratory in Bhopal confirmed three of the 5 samples of the 30 crows, which have been discovered useless at Vasantpura village in Savli taluka Thursday, examined optimistic for H5N1. “We are taking the utmost precaution in the affected area. We have asked poultry farms to restrict entry and movement of people. They have to keep sanitising the farms and continue following the protocols. There is no need for panic among people but exercising caution is important,” Dr Prakash Darji, the animal husbandry officer of Vadodara, mentioned.
Dr Darji mentioned samples of pigeons, discovered useless at Kia village in Karjan taluka, and a peacock, discovered useless in Vadodara metropolis, too, had been despatched to NIHSAD.
Vadodara collector Shalini Agarwal, in the meantime, issued a notification prohibiting actions inside poultry farms throughout the district, together with transport of merchandise, birds and gear to and from farms in Vadodara for the following 60 days.
The restrictions, which can have a direct impression on the sale of poultry merchandise within the district, additionally features a path to make sure that migratory birds that are available in contact with water our bodies needs to be restricted. The notification additionally earmarks a containment space within the affected village and imposes a restriction on the involvement of individuals in poultry farm companies.
In Surat and Valsad districts, authorities confirmed samples of crows — chook carcasses have been recovered from Madhi railway station space of Bardoli taluka and Bardoli city in Surat; and Sugar Street, Valsad city, and Reserve Forest Department land at Atgam village in Valsad — have examined optimistic for H5N1. Surat collector Dhaval Patel mentioned space falling inside a one-km radius of Madhi railway employees colony has been declared a containment zone. “We have issued notifications with an attempt to contain the infection. The notification will remain in force for 60 days. Different teams of health and veterinary officials will survey poultry farms in Bardoli and in different talukas in Surat district,” Patel mentioned.
H5N1 instances have been first famous in Junagadh district after laboratory exams confirmed on January 8 that just a few of the 55 birds, which have been discovered useless on the coast of Kharo dam at Bantva village within the district, had died because of the illness.
On Monday, Junagadh district collector Sourabh Pardhi mentioned, six different crows that have been discovered unwell at Lohej village of Mangrol taluka in Junagadh district and have been being handled, had succumbed. The collector, nevertheless, mentioned the sale of poultry product within the district was not affected. “There are only two or three poultry farms in the vicinity of places where bird deaths have been reported. So far, no mortality among poultry birds has been reported. While vigilance has been upped, there are no restrictions on the sale of poultry products as yet,” Pardhi mentioned.

On Sunday, 35 cormorants have been discovered useless inside a properly at Bhimasar village of Anjar taluka in Kutch, Dr Haresh Thakkar, the deputy director of animal husbandry (DyDAH) division of Kutch district, mentioned. “The well has an active electric motor pump and one possibility is that the cormorants could have died due to electric shock. However, as a precautionary measure, we have sent samples of the birds to Bhopal,” Dr Thakkar added.
Fifteen Red-wattled lapwings have additionally been discovered useless on Bhadar riverbank at Shivrajgadh village of Gondal taluka in Rajkot. “We are awaiting results of the tests from NIHSAD even as we have started surveillance,” Dr KU Khanpara, DyDAH of Rajkot, mentioned.
Meanwhile, a poultry farmer at Dolasa village in Gir Somnath district claimed round 100 chickens died over the previous few days after some wild animals raided the farm. “We visited the enclosure Sunday and found one dead bird with injury marks on its neck. While the mortalities seem to be due to attack by predators, we have sent samples for tests,” Dr SN Vaghasiya, DyDAH at animal illness investigation centre of Junagadh, mentioned.