Bird Flu Outbreak And It’s Impacts In India
2020 has been the year of some sheer uncertainties and difficulties. Everyone was praying for that year to come to an end and start everything afresh from New Year. All were hoping for this year 2021 to be normal and full of peace with the launch of Covid 19 Vaccine. But in the starting of the year itself, Bird flu has seriously shaken everyone, to specially government authorities who would be accountable for precautions and measures taken in order to reduce its serious impacts in India.
Everyone got a jolt of mild shock when there was a sudden increase in death of birds, especially in the poultry farms of Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. Although this virus does not spread to human beings just like Coronavirus yet lives of poultry birds are at a serious risk.
Husbandry department of Delhi has also been put on the high alert due to this sudden increase in the cases of bird’s death notably in the states like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh, which are also its neighboring states. Few states like Kerala are much affected with spread of virus while states like Maharashtra are not much exposed to it yet.
Can bird flu affect people?
As this virus cannot be transmitted to humans, everyone is in a bit relieved situation. But there are some problems regarding consumptions of faulty products taking virus into consideration. As poultry birds are included in daily diets of people it’s getting quite difficult to manage getting to consume these products even after spread of virus. On an average about 900 crore eggs and 30 crore Poultry birds like cocks & chickens are consumed by India’s on monthly basis.
So, when there is a spread of virus like this, it would be quite challenging and will bring difficulty to people who used to have these poultry products included in their diets.
Bird Flu Outbreak Impact In India
Let’s have a sharp look of some Indian states which are facing some challenges due to the spread of bird flu.
1. Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir – In the Unhamper district of Jammu and Kashmir about 150 crows were found dead recently and reason behind their sudden death is expected to be spread of bird flu. But as nothing could be said clearly without having any strong evidences. That’s why samples of dead crows have been sent for testing to get an idea whether they got dead due to any natural cause or it was due to bird flu.
2. State of Rajasthan – There are total 425 cases of poultry bird’s death in the state and about 170 new cases has been reported in some of the districts of state in previous few hours.
3. Himachal Pradesh – Total number of cases in the state are about 3,500. And, 381 new migratory birds were found dead in last hour in the state’s Pong wildlife sanctuary.
4. Kerala – Kerala is worst affected state due to outbreak of the virus with about 25,000 death fatalities cases of poultry birds. Understanding the gravity of situation, Central Government’s three member team has visited the Kottayam and Alappuzha districts of the state on 7th of January 2021, to take a report of this sudden increase of death in the birds. About 50000 birds have also been rescued in the state.
5. Haryana – When it comes of Haryana, then Minister of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries have issued an statement saying,” The state Animal Husband and Dairying department has sent three samples to the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory in Bhopal after the intervention of the Centre. Samples from two were found positive for Avian influenza, H5N8.”
6. Delhi – In the East Delhi about 20 crows have been reported dead in previous few days. Samples are sent by authorities to testing agencies for further checking the cause of death.
7. Uttar Pradesh – In the Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh, 10 crows were reported dead. Samples are send for further checking but officials are also quite confused thinking, it could most probably happen due to cold season or rise in pollution levels instead of bird flu.
8. Gujarat – About 70 crows and 130 local birds including migratory birds have been found dead in last few days in which 6 are migratory birds while rest are local birds.
9. Odisha – In the Khurda district, 120 have been found dead but state government of Odisha has assured people to not get panicked about the spread of virus. Notably, Test of all the five samples send by Odisha authorities has come negative And there’s no problem in consuming poultry products like eggs, meat and chicken.
10. Chhattisgarh- On 7th of January 2021, four Crows were found dead and samples of them have been send for further testing to know the exact reason behind their sudden death.
Central government has established a Control room to made further strategies of how to control the spread of virus and work along with state governments to reduce it to some extent where no poultry bird get affected with it. Kerala, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh are in some of those states which are worst affected by the spread of virus. And Central government has deployed a team of three members to visit and monitor the situation and provide a detailed report to government so that they can take further measures.
No matter how much authorities ask people to stop panting and worrying, some of the local people are still much worried by keeping the serious situations caused by Corona Pandemic for whole last year. When Dean of Bombay Veterinary College, Dr. AS Ranade was asked about the same he quoted, “The virus dies immediately if exposed to temperatures over 70 degrees Celsius. Unlike in South East Asian countries, both meat and eggs in India are eaten well cooked, which sees them being exposed to over 100 degrees Celsius. Thus the chances of humans contracting the virus from eating chicken and eggs is extremely rare”
Well, looking at the consequences of the widespread of Bird flu Union Government has asked to local authorities of the various states about boosting the surveillance around poultry farms, bird markets, zoos, water bodies and at all the places where birds are found in huge amount, just to bring the situations under control.
