Amid bird flu scare, Tamil Nadu’s Nilgiris suspends transport of poultry products from Kerala

In the wake of bird flu scare in Kerala, the Nilgiris district administration in Tamil Nadu has temporarily suspended the transport of poultry products from the neighbouring state.

According to a release issued by the Nilgiris collector S P Amrith, as bird flu cases have surfaced in Kerala’s Alappuzha, the district administration has been taking measures to prevent the spread. He noted that medical teams led by an assistant veterinarian would be stationed at localities like Nambiyarkunnu, Thaloor, Soladi and Kakkundi bordering Kerala. Surveillance has been increased in checkposts like Kakkanallah bordering Karnataka to ensure vehicles carrying poultry do not enter via that route either.

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He noted that bird flu can affect chicken, turkey, ducks and other varieties of birds as well as humans. Those running poultry farms have been instructed not to keep several species of birds in one area and restrict outsiders and their vehicles from entering the facilities.

Officials said all the items in the farms have to be disinfected twice a month and if any death or any unnatural behaviour was noticed among the birds, the owners should alert the nearby veterinarian.