Coordination with other departments and rapid action on the basis of a standard operating protocol was what helped the Animal Husbandry department control the bird flu outbreak effectively, a statement issued by the Minister for Animal Husbandry J. Chinchurani said.
Animal Husbandry, Revenue, Forest, Health, Local Self-Governments, Police, and Motor Vehicle department coordinated their activities well.
An area within 10 km radius of the outbreak was declared as surveillance zone and control measures adopted. Transport of birds inside and outside the zone is prohibited. Some panchayats in Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts also come under the surveillance zone.
All poultry within a km radius of the outbreak’s epicentre had to be culled as per the protocol. A total of 18,007 domestic birds were culled in the two panchayats of Edathua and Cheruthana. About 100 kg of poultry feed and 537 eggs were also destroyed. Poultry shops, egg, and feed shops will not be allowed to remain open as long as the ban on the transport of birds remains.
Ms. Chinchurani said that, as always, all farmers whose birds had to be culled would be given compensation, and that review meetings had been called to decide on the compensation.
Till the area within one km radius of the outbreak is sanitised, people should be on the alert against any unusual deaths amongst domestic birds. Any such deaths should be reported to the control room.
Chemical sanitation has been initiated at all government poultry farms, private farms, and the Chengannur Central Hatchery. Ms. Chinchurani said that surveillance and checks would be strengthened in the normal roosting spots of migratory birds.
This is the sixth time that influenza A (h5n1) or avian influenza is being reported in Kerala since 2014-15.
