Bird flu outbreak forces cull of 12,000 ducks in Kerala's Alappuzha
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Alappuzha: Amid reports of bird flu outbreak in Kerala's Alappuzha district, a total of 12,000 ducks were culled in ward number 10 of the Thakazhi gram panchayat on Friday, PTI reported.
The decision to cull the birds were taken at an emergency meeting on December 10. The meeting, chaired by Alapuzha district collector, decided to intensify the actions to prevent avian flu from spreading to other areas.
Meanwhile, the ward number 10 of the Thakazhi gram has now been declared as a containment zone with movement of vehicles and people in that area is prohibited.
Apart from Thakazhy, duck mortality has also been reported from Nedumudi in Alappuzha, Vechoor and Kallara in the Kottayam district in recent days. The Alappuzha health department has sent samples from these places to Bihar for analyses but is yet to receive the test results.
Meanwhile, the District Administration banned the use and sale of eggs, meat and manure of ducks, chickens, quails and domestic birds in the affected areas. This restriction will be applicable in Champakulam, Nedumudi, Muttar, Viyapuram, Karuvatta, Thrikkunnapuzha, Thakazhi, Purakkad, Ambalapuzha South, Ambalapuzha North, Edathva panchayats and Harippad Municipality area.
The process of completing the culling the birds and burying them safely within a radius of one kilometre in the 10th ward of Thakazhi panchayat has also been decided at the meeting.
The local police were instructed to support these activities and to conduct surveillance in the area. The Department of Animal Welfare will ensure the service of Rapid Response Teams and bury the birds.
Besides that, Rapid Response Teams will be deployed in areas where the bird flu has been confirmed and preventive medicines will be distributed to the people.
The Assistant Forest Conservator has been assigned to monitor and examine whether the migrant birds were infected with the disease. The collector directed the animal husbandry department to submit daily reports on bird flu prevention activities.