NEW DELHI — The Union animal husbandry ministry’s department of animal husbandry and dairying (DAHD) has announced mandatory registration for all poultry farms within a month as part of a “three-pronged strategy” to tackle the ongoing H5N1 avian influenza outbreaks across multiple states, officials said on Friday.
The directive comes amid continued detection of the H5N1 virus in several regions of the country, with officials confirming outbreaks at 34 epicentres spanning eight states: Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand.
A high-level meeting was held at Krishi Bhavan on Friday evening with poultry industry representatives, officials from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, and other stakeholders, chaired by secretary Alka Upadhyaya, to “discuss urgent measures to contain the disease and prevent its spread,” one of these officials said, asking not to be named.
This person added that the registrations must be made with the state animal husbandry departments.
While H5N1 typically affects birds, officials noted that instances of interspecies transmission in India. The person cited above said that fewer than 10 cases have tested positive in mammals so far.
The first case in a mammal this year was confirmed in a tiger on January 1 at a rescue centre in Nagpur, and the most recent in a “wild cat” in Goa during the last week of March. Additionally, three tigers, one leopard, three pet cats, and a migratory bird in Rajasthan have tested positive for the virus, in line with the experience in other parts of the world.
This pattern of cross-species transmission, while concerning, is not unprecedented.
While humans handling sick poultry or consuming raw poultry products are known to contract the infection, human-to-human transmission of avian influenza has not been documented anywhere in the world thus far. But scientists around the world are watching interspecies transmissions for any signs of a risk of a spillover to humans.
The meeting comes just days after the reported death of a two-year-old girl in Andhra Pradesh allegedly due to H5N1 influenza after she was believed to have been infected when she consumed a piece of raw chicken,
Regarding the response strategy, a DAHD release outlined three key approaches:
“Stricter biosecurity measures, i.e., poultry farms must enhance hygiene practices, control access, and follow stringent biosecurity protocols to minimise the risk of infection. Strengthened surveillance and mandatory registration of poultry farms: To enhance disease tracking and control, all poultry farms must register with authorities within a month… and ensure 100% compliance with this directive.”
The third component involves enhanced monitoring and rapid response capabilities.
Upadhyaya emphasised the importance of these measures, stating: “Protecting our poultry sector is critical for food security and rural livelihoods. Strict biosecurity, scientific surveillance, and responsible industry practices are essential in our fight against Bird Flu.”
She also highlighted the need to develop a predictive modelling system for early warning and environmental surveillance. “This would enable proactive disease detection and response, minimising the risk of outbreaks and protecting the poultry industry,” she added.
DAHD officials noted that deliberations on an “HPAI vaccination” are still ongoing without any final decision.
The DAHD has advised consumers that properly cooked poultry products remain safe for consumption, as the virus is destroyed at temperatures above 70 degrees Celsius. They have also advised against handling dead or sick birds without appropriate protective equipment.
