Jharkhand: Avian flu outbreak at poultry farm in Ranchi, 920 birds culled

An alert was sounded in Jharkhand on Wednesday after bird flu cases were reported in a poultry farm in the state capital, Ranchi.

A report by PTI quoted an official saying 920 birds, including 770 ducks, were culled at the Ram Krishna Ashram-run poultry farm Divyayan Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Morabadi.

Culling involves the mass slaughter of domestic poultry birds such as chickens and ducks in an infected area, where cases of flu have been reported.

After being slaughtered, the remains of the birds are buried. This is done to restrict the spread of bird flu.

A total of 4,300 eggs were also destroyed, he further said.

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The official also confirmed that the samples sent to the ICAR-National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) in Bhopal confirmed the presence of H5N1, a type of avian influenza A virus.

Late last month, two doctors and six staff members of the Regional Poultry Farm in Hotwar have been quarantined at the JSIA building in Ranchi, which has been converted into a bird flu ward.

H5N1, or Highly Pathogenic Asian Avian Influenza (H5N1) Virus, is a strain of the influenza virus that primarily affects birds, but can also infect humans through close contact with infected live or dead birds or H5N1-contaminated environments.

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With inputs from agencies