Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh government is to cull nearly 15,000 chicken infected with bird flu, initiate biosecurity measures, and declare “no fly zone” for birds like crows to check the spread of H5N1 virus in erstwhile twin districts of Godavari.
The move comes after Bhopal-based National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases confirmed the H5N1 strain of avian influenza virus in samples sent from Kanuru of Peravali mandal in East Godavari and Velpuru of Tanuku mandal in West Godavari, where hundreds of chicken had died.
Authorities have decided to lift from poultry farms in the area all the infected birds and cull them.
However, test reports of samples of infected birds sent from a poultry farm at Badampur village in Unguturu mandal in Euru district are awaited from the Bhopal lab.
Animal husbandry authorities, with support from stakeholder departments, have started culling the affected birds as well as those within one km area of the affected poultry farms. The culled birds are being buried in deep pits laced with lime. The eggs produced by these infected birds will also be destroyed and buried.
Authorities are expecting to complete culling of birds either by the end of Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. A compensation of ₹140 will be paid per adult bird culled.
As part of measures to prevent avian influenza, authorities have started to implement biosecurity for a distance of up to 10 km from the infected poultry farms. As birds within one-km distance are being culled, authorities are keeping a close surveillance over bird mortality in the remaining nine km distance. In case the mortality rate goes up by one per cent, they will consider the birds infected and start eliminating them.
In addition, disinfectants are being sprayed on the infected poultry farms. To avoid spread of the virus, movement of vehicles is being restricted even from one farm to another, unless the vehicles are disinfected.
Authorities have declared the infected poultry farms and their surrounding areas as “no fly zones” for birds, which come to feed on the litter. Such birds are being shooed, so that they do not get infected and spread the virus to other areas in the region.
Animal husbandry director Dr. T. Damodar Naidu said, “With the moves we have initiated, the virus is under control at present. We have alerted officers from departments like forest, health, panchayat raj, police and transport. We are seeking their support to contain the spread of the virus.”
Check posts are being set up to avoid transport of birds from infected areas to other parts of the state. PPA kits are being obtained to take up spraying of disinfectants.
