India: H5N1 avian influenza reported in poultry in Kottayam and Alappuzha, Kerala

[Gert van der Hoek]

India, Andra Pradesh - H5N1 Avian Flu Detected in Turkey Farm

January 28, 2015

8,000 turkeys culled at Kollam farm

Following death of 450 turkeys from bird flu last week

With the Indian Council of Agricultural Research?s Bhopal-based High Security Animal Diseases Laboratory confirming that avian flu of the H5N1 strain caused the deaths of over 450 turkeys housed in a cage at the Government Turkey Farm here last week, more than 8,000 turkeys that remained at the farm were culled on Monday as a preventive measure.

Since the culled birds were buried inside the farm complex, the farm will have to be kept closed for at least four months after being fumigated. Farm authorities said the fumigation was being carried out using a sodium hypochlorite solution. The complex was also being sprayed with lime-based disinfectants.

The farm has been hit by bird flu at a time when it had stocked the highest number of turkeys since its inception. It also had the reputation of being the biggest turkey farm in south Asia.

Rs.20-lakh loss

The farm will remain banned for visitors for four months. The loss to the farm as per preliminary estimates is Rs.20 lakh.
On Tuesday, poultry numbering over 700 in individual houses in an area of 1 sq km around the farm was also culled. The poultry comprised chicken, ducks, and turkey. There was resistance from the owners when Animal Husbandry Department personnel, along with officials of the Health Department, arrived at the houses with police protection to carry out the culling.

 

[Ronan Kelly]

KOCHI, January 30, 2015
Updated: January 30, 2015 08:31 IST
Migratory birds come under surveillance

K.S. SUDHI

Fears of recurrence of avian influenza epidemic have pushed the Forest Department to keep a tab on migratory birds that winter in Kerala.

Though the epidemic, first reported among domestic poultry in Alappuzha and Kottayam districts, had been contained, it was again reported at the government-run turkey farm in Kollam last week. Experts confirmed that the birds had died of H5N1 at the Kollam farm.

While fresh outbreak of the disease led to the death of 1,781 turkey birds at the farm, authorities culled 6,475 birds in an attempt to curb the spread of the disease among the local bird population. Around 2,000 other birds were culled outside the farm.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/migratory-birds-come-under-surveillance/article6837188.ece