Dakshina Kannada temporarily ban supply of poultry from Kerala

Bengaluru, 09 Jan 2021 [Fik/News Sources]: Owing to the spread of bird flu in Kerala, the Dakshina Kannada district administration banned transportation of poultry from the state temporarily. The Deputy Commissioner of the district, K V Rajendra directed in a notification that the vehicles transporting poultry to Kerala should be disinfected while re-entering the district after offloading.

He added that this is being enforced as a precautionary measure since bird flu (H5N8) is being reported in Kerala. He assured that the departments of health and animal husbandry are taking adequate measures and that people don’t have to panic.

Rajendra further instructed the management of poultry farms to ensure cleanliness in their premises and asked them to stay vigilant. He also instructed people to inform veterinary officials in case of unnatural deaths among chicken or other birds.

Speaking to TNM, the Deputy Commissioner said, “We have imposed this as a precautionary measure. We are trying to create awareness among people to report cases and have provided a helpline number too.”

He further added that people may not comprehend the gravity of the issue, hence, veterinarians have also been instructed to regularly visit poultry farms in their areas.

“There’s no need to worry. The samples of the six crows that died in Dakshina Kannada, their reports came back negative,” added Rajendra. Six crows died in Karnataka and their samples were sent for avian influenza (bird flu) testing.

The districts in Karnataka bordering Kerala, where bird flu cases were first reported in the south, are all on alert.  According to reports, the state Animal Husbandry Department has issued a general alert to all District Collectors. Dakshina Kannada, Mysuru, Madikeri and Udupi districts are on high alert after birds in Alappuzha and Kottayam districts in the neighbouring Kerala were declared to have been affected with the H5N8 strain of bird flu.

Reports suggested that migratory birds may have been the source of the flu, official confirmation is awaited. Apart from Kerala, the flu has been reported in Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh. The Union government said that 12 epicentres were identified in four states. The first outbreak of avian influenza in India took place in 2006.