Odisha issues alert after bird flu detected; 20,000 chickens culled

As Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) has been detected in two blocks of Odisha’s Puri district leading to culling of nearly 20,000 chickens, the health department has directed authorities in Puri district to strengthen surveillance for protection of human health.

“…The virus can spread from infected birds to human through inhalation… There is no definite evidence of human-to-human transmission,” said director public health Nilakantha Mishra in a letter to Puri chief district medical officer.

The health authorities have been directed to keep close coordination with other departments for collection of early warning reports of unexplained bird deaths.

After reports of deaths of chickens at a poultry farm in Pipli came up, nearly 20,000 chickens had been culled in Pipli and Satyabadi areas in Puri in the last three days by 13 state government teams.