Bird flu outbreak has been confirmed in more places in Alappuzha. Officials of the Animal Husbandry Department said that more than 19,000 ducks within a one-km radius of the hotspots in Pallipad and Ambalappuzha North grama panchayats would be culled in the next two days.
The outbreak has so far been confirmed in seven grama panchayats in Alappuzha. Avian flu was first confirmed in ducks at Kunnumma South (ward 10) in Thakazhy grama panchayat on December 8. Later, it was reported from Nedumudi and Karuvatta on December 14, followed by cases in Purakkad and Cheruthana. Last week, more than 16,000 ducks within a one-km radius of a hotspot in Ambalappuzha North grama panchayat were culled.
Following the reporting of new cases of avian flu in Ambalappuzha North and Pallipad, District Collector A. Alexander on Monday chaired an emergency meeting and took stock of the situation.
As part of containment measures, Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) have so far killed around 90,000 birds, mostly ducks, in the district.