“Avian flu in Kerala under control, will not spread to other States’’

December 18, 2014 11:04 am | Updated 11:04 am IST - PUDUCHERRY

The recent outbreak of Avian flu in Kerala is under control and the outbreak is not likely to spread to any other States, said a top official from Southern Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory(SRDDL) here on Wednesday.

Last November, the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases confirmed that avian influenza, known as bird flu or avian flu, had caused the death of 17,000 ducks in Alappuzha, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts. The outbreak also led the authorities in Tamil Nadu and Kerala to heighten surveillance in border districts.

Quarterly Meet M.D.Venkatesha, Director of the Southern Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory(SRDDL), Bengaluru inaugurated here on Wednesday the second quarterly review meeting of nodal officers of southern States. It was held in the Department of Animal Husbandry, Puducherry.

Dr. Venkatesha told The Hindu , “Now the outbreak is under control. There is no need to worry at this moment. However, we want everyone be prepared to meet any eventuality.”

He also said the objective of the meeting was to take stock of preparedness of the southern States and chalk out plans to pressurise the concerned government to allocate more funds and equipments at the time of crisis.

Referring to the outbreak in Kerala, Dr. Venkatesha said, “It is very difficult to identify the source of the virus. Migratory birds might have brought that…

The authorities in Kerala have taken care of the outbreak. No such threat to any other southern States exists as of now.”

The SRDDL review meeting is held once in a quarter as part of surveillance and monitoring plan to prevent and control any incidence / outbreak of diseases in livestock and its spread to human.

The SRDDL comprises all the southern States/Union Territories of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Lakshadweep, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and Telangana.

This meeting gained importance due to recent out break of Avian Influenza in Kerala.

The Avian influenza is highly contagious avian disease, having zoonotic potential and causing huge losses in terms of mortality and trade of poultry and poultry products.

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