The animal health authorities have sounded caution in the district following the confirmation of avian flu in the neighbouring district of Alappuzha.
“Though no cases of unusual death of poultry have been reported in the district so far, all the veterinary health units at local levels have been put on alert,” said A. Gopakumar, Deputy Director, Animal Health Department, Ernakulam.
Field officials have also been alerted about the disease. The authorities asked people to be on the lookout for unusual and massive death of poultry. Incidentally, the disease has been confirmed in the duck population in Alappuzha.
Avian flu experts have identified the virus as H5N9. “The disease will not be transmitted to human beings,” said Dr. Gopakumar.
A considerable number of ducks are reared in the coastal areas of the district including Cherayi, Chellanam and Puthenvelikkara, he said. If any unusual death of birds are reported, advised Mr Gopakumar, the dead ones should not be handled with bare hands. Information on bird death should be communicated to the authorities immediately, he said.
Those who are handling dead birds should wear personal protection equipment. On confirmation of the disease, poultry in one-kilometre radius of the place where the infection has been reported will have to be culled. Birds should be buried deep in the soil or burnt as per the protocol laid down by health experts, he said. The public can contact the district animal health authorities at 0484-2360648 for clarifications.
