Rapid response teams (RRT) of the Animal Husbandry Department (AHD) culled 17,980 birds, including 16,875 ducks, within one-km radius of bird flu hotspots in Alappuzha on Tuesday.
Officials of the AHD said that 8,275 birds, including 8,025 ducks, had been culled in and around ward 10 (Koyilmuck South) in Edathua grama panchayat. Another 9,165 birds, including 8,833 ducks, were culled within the one-km radius of ward 4 (Thennady) in Thakazhi panchayat. RRTs culled 540 birds, mostly chickens, in and around ward 7 (Neerkunnam East) in Ambalappuzha North panchayat.
“The culling operations have been completed at two avian flu hotspots in Thakazhi and Ambalappuzha North panchayats. However, the process in Edathua was affected by rain. The rest of the birds there will be culled in the coming days,” said an AHD official.
The AHD had identified 33,974 birds, mostly ducks, within the one-km radius of ward 10 in Edathua for culling.
Bird flu (H5N1) has so far been reported at five places in the district. After avian flu was detected in the ducks of three farmers — one in Edathua (ward 1) and two in Cheruthana (ward 3), RRTs culled 17,480 birds, mostly ducks, within one-km radius of the hotspots on April 19. Bird flu in Thakazhi, Ambalappuzha North and Edathua (ward 10) was confirmed on April 25.
